Beetroot and Feta Galette

Beetroot and Feta Galette recipe

In my usual run up to Christmas fashion, I’m behind on my shopping, cooking and writing my cards. The only thing I’m excelling at is going out too much and doing too much pre Christmas entertaining. I am, however, bloody desperate to share this Beetroot and Feta Galette recipe, because, a) it’s delicious, and b) you definitely need this in your life for elegant, festive entertaining.

This recipe is a simplified version of a beautiful recipe I found on the Guardian’s website. And when I say I’ve simplified it, I mean I’ve made it more Lucy friendly and far less kerfuffle, which is just what everyone needs during this ridiculously busy period. Yes, this recipe involves making your own, buttery flaky pastry, but it’s simple and if you can’t be arsed then buying some all butter puff wouldn’t be the end of the world. Yes, you will need to fry some onions to make a wonderful flavoursome base for the tart, but again, if time is tight, do please buy good onion chutney, no one will be judging. Other than that, this recipe requires some minor assembly and some baking until crisp and golden, for a huge, beetroot and feta based reward.

Enough rambling, I’ve got lists to write, let’s cut to the main event.

This does look like a full ingredient line up, but you’ll have most of these things to hand, and if you don’t, then wing it, your galette will still be amazing. I haven’t got the time or inclination to roast my own beetroot and to stain my hands until 2024, so I cheated and used vac packed ones. If you’re lolling around with all your presents wrapped, please feel free to bake the beetroot from fresh.

Right, onwards and upwards, let’s start with the pastry. Add to a large bowl both the plain and wholemeal flours, sugar, salt and oregano. Give it a little stir then add the cold cubed butter and either rub in with your fingers or your pastry cutter thingy like mine.

You want to leave some large, pea sized pieces of butter visible to ensure a lovely flaky pastry.

Pour on the ice cold water, then stir to bring it together with a knife. Gently go in with your hands to form a ball and turn it out onto a floured surface.

Add a couple more drops of cold water here if needed.

Next roll the pastry out into a rough rectangle, which according to the recipe should be 28cm x 18cm which mine undoubtedly wasn’t.

Bring each short end into the middle of the pastry so they meet, then fold it over, so it’s like a book.

I didn’t practice what I preached here, so don’t pay too much attention to my photos.

Now, roll the pastry out into a small rectangle, one more time, then fold over and wrap in cling film and pop into the fridge for an hour, or overnight, or up to two days.

Whilst the pastry’s chilling, crack on with the onions, if you’re not opening a jar of onion chutney. Heat the butter and oil over a low flame and cook the onions until softened and starting to turn golden. This will take around ten minutes.

Stir through the caster sugar, vinegar, chilli flakes, pinch of salt, stir and let that simmer for a minute or two.

Turn off the heat then stir through the parsley and leave to cool.

When you’re ready to assemble your tart, get all the components ready and pre heat the oven to 180 ℃ fan assisted. Slice your beetroot and crumble the feta. For the ricotta, stir through the crushed garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and line your work surface with a large sheet of baking paper. Roll your pastry out into a rough 28cm circle on the paper.

Mine was more of a square, but it was roughly 28cm in diameter *don’t get the ruler out please*. Move the whole thing, on the baking paper, to your baking tray now, or it will all become messy later if you try and move once filled. Leaving a 5cm-ish border around the edge, spread on the garlic ricotta then crumble on half of the feta cheese.

Spread over the cooled onions, then layer the beetroot over the top.

Sprinkle over the rest of the feta then fold the edge of the pastry into the centre to form a rim, enclosing the filling.

Brush the edge of the galette with some beaten egg then sprinkle on the sesame seeds. Put this rustic beauty into the hot oven for 15 minutes. Whip it out at this point and sprinkle over the pine nuts, then put back in for a further 5 to 10 minutes or until crisp and smelling amazing.

Remove the tart to a wire rack to cool, best not to leave it on the tray or you may have a soggy bottom situation on your hands.

Serve this festive looking beauty with a sprinkle of sea salt, a drizzle of honey and some more parsley. The sides are up to you, leaves, sautés, buttered brocolli, the list is endless.

This is quite the beauty; it’s not without a modicum of kerfuffle, but you can make this Beetroot and Feta work for you. It’s worked beautifully for me three times in the last month, so it can’t be that much of a drama.

Lucy x

Beetroot and Feta Galette recipe

Serves 4, easily doubled

You will need bowls and a lined baking sheet for this

Flaky Pastry – or buy some shortcrust or puff if pushed for time

80g plain flour

35g wholemeal flour

1 1/2 teaspoon caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon flaky salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

115g cold butter, chopped into cubes

60ml ice cold water

Filling

1 large onion, sliced

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon oil

2 teaspoons caster sugar

2 tablespoon vinegar, mine was apple cider

A pinch chilli flakes

A pinch of salt

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

200g beetroot, thinly sliced, I bought vacuum packed, but do roast and peel your own if you’d prefer

100g ricotta

2 cloves garlic, crushed

150g feta cheese, crumbled

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 egg, beaten, to egg wash

2 tablespoon pine nuts

More fresh parsley and a drizzle of honey to garnish, salad leaves, sauté potatoes, to serve

Start with the pastry as this needs time to rest. In a large bowl mix both flours, the sugar, oregano and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and rub in to the flour, gently, leaving some pea sized lumps of butter visible, these will make the pastry flaky. Stir in the cold water with a knife until the dough just comes together, then form into a soft ball, adding a drop more water where needed.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and shape into a rough rectangle, then gently roll out into a large, roughly sized, 28cm x 18cm rectangle. Fold the two short sides into the middle so they meet then in a book closing fashion, fold the pastry over. Roll out again into a small rough rectangle, then fold in half, wrap in cling film then rest in the fridge for an hour, or overnight or for up to 3 days.

For the onion filling, over a low heat, add the tablespoon of butter and oil and once melted, add the sliced onions. Cook for around 10 minutes, until softening and just starting to colour. Stir in the sugar, vinegar and chilli flakes and a pinch of salt then cook for another minute or two, then turn off the heat, stir in the fresh parsley, then leave to cool in a bowl.

For the ricotta, stir in the crushed garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste.

When you’re ready to assemble your galette, pre heat your oven to 180 ℃ fan assisted and lay a large sheet of baking paper onto your work surface. Roll the chilled pastry into a rough 28cm circle on the baking paper. Lift the baking paper and place onto the baking sheet, so you don’t have to move it once filled. Spread the base with the ricotta mixture, leaving a border of around 5cm, then sprinkle on half the crumbled feta. Top with the cooled onions then lay on your slices of beetroot. Top with the last of the feta.

Fold the edges of the pastry towards the middle of the tart, to form a border and encase the filling. Brush the border with beaten egg then sprinkle the sesame seeds onto the pastry. Place the galette into your pre heated oven for 15 minutes. Whip it out, sprinkle over the pine nuts then put back in for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until piping hot and golden brown.

Move onto a wire rack, still on the paper, to cool, this will prevent a soggy bottom.

Drizzle over some honey and garnish with fresh parsley leaves and a sprinkling of sea salt. Serve in quarters with the accompaniments of your choosing. Any cold leftovers are bloody lovely, over the next couple of days.