Rachel would be over soon for lunch, I have about an hour and a half to get the fennel and onions caramelized, the dough made, and the whole thing baked off before she arrives- no problem. First thing’s first- music. “Hey Google, Stream KEXP” (the BEST radio station in existence!). A song finishes up and DJ Troy starts to speak, “we’re just hearing the sad news that Dolly Parton died today”.
.
.
.
I’m stunned. The knife strokes that are quickly rocking back and forth across the onion to form thin strips- stop. I want to cry. Not just from the eau d’oignon, but from a breaking in my heart. I never cry over dead celebrities, but Dolly! … This one hurts.
My hand continues its familiar motion, slicing the rest of the onion half, then moving onto the second half, then onto the first half of the fennel, and the second half. Sliding each pile into an oiled skillet until the pan is full, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and the heat is turned on to medium. I cover the pan to let it steam and sweat a bit, then go sit down.
KEXP is playing a tribute to Dolly, I Will Always Love You starts off the set, I sit there next to the speaker, apron on, towel in hand, and just listen. The onions spatter in the pan, I allow myself to cry. Such a meaningful gift to leave the world during her time on it- so many enduring stories, so many beautiful ways to love people.
I get up, go to the stove, take off the lid, and stir the onions and fennel. The bottom of the pan is browning, I scrape it up. The onions and fennel are wilted now, I add a few teaspoons of Vadouvan Curry… then a few more. Stir it, then return the lid.
The next song begins, Islands in the Stream, I try to sing along, but the lyrics get caught in my throat. I grab a large bowl and measure out 3/4 cups of Sonora White Wheat, then 3/4 cups Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat. A small cupped palm of salt, and cold butter- about 8 Tablespoons. My hands begin to work the butter- to break it up with the pastry cutter and blend it into the flour. The lyrics aren’t catching anymore- I sing along, my hands working methodically now in a familiar rhythm, rubbing the buttery flour in between them to create thin slabs that drop back into the bowl. Now for an egg. Its shell cracks on the table then releases its gooey orb into the bowl. More mixing until a ball of dough is formed. Time to cover and rest.
The onions and fennel are almost done- golden brown, sticky, and soft. They can just cool off and wait.
I fling some flour onto the table, place the dough on top, and start to roll out a disk that will fit the onions and tomatoes for a galette. Roll. Shift a quarter turn. Roll. Shift a quarter turn. Roll. …
Rachel was about to arrive and I still needed to get this thing in the oven. I place a piece of parchment beneath the dough disk, pour the onions into the center and spread them out to about an inch of the edge. Then arrange the cut tomatoes on top (a mix of littles and large). Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, fold up the edges, brush it with cream, sprinkle with Maldon Salt, then lift the parchment and place it on a sheet pan. It bakes in a 375 convection until the entire kitchen is permeated with its perfume and the crust is a flaky golden brown. I sprinkle fresh dill over the top.
Stairway to Heaven cover.
The Recipe not in story format:
The Filling
1 onion, sliced thin
1 fennel, sliced the same as your onion
2-4 tsp Vadouvan curry, ground (or to taste)
- Place the onions and fennel in an oiled skillet, turn the heat to medium, sprinkle with 1-2 tsp salt and cover.
- Allow them to wilt
- Add 2-4 tsp Vadouvan Curry, or to taste
- Check-in every 5 or so minutes to give a stir.
- If the bottom starts to brown or burn, add a small amount of water to release the brown bits, and mix into the onions/ fennel.
- Continue until the onions are soft and a golden brown; 20-30 minutes-ish.
1 pint little tomatoes, cut in half
1-2 large tomatoes (like heirlooms) sliced in rounds about 1/4” thin
*Use whatever tomatoes you have, if it’s all littles, you’ll want closer to 2 pints; if it’s all large tomatoes, you need enough to cover the surface in a concentric pattern, depending on the size that will be probably 5-8.
- Coat the little tomatoes in a drizzle of olive oil and a few sprinkles of salt
- If you’re using large tomatoes, drizzle them directly on the galette after you’ve arranged them on top (it’s easier to do so when they’re not slippery with oil)
The Dough
3/4 cup Sonora White Wheat
3/4 cup Rouge de Bordeaux
* You can use 1 1/4 cup all Sonora, all RdB, or All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Salt
8 Tbs unsalted butter, chilled, sliced into squares
1 egg
- Using a pastry cutter, break up the butter into the flour. Once the butter is in smaller pieces, put down the cutter and use your hands.
- Scoop up some of the mixture into one palm, then rub the other palm against it, like you’re twisting it between your two palms. You should get some thin “sheets” of butter and flour. Continue doing this until all the butter is absorbed by the flour and a clump holds together after you squeeze it in one hand.
- Add an egg and mix it in thoroughly, getting up all dried bits, and kneading in the bowl until you have a ball of dough.
- Flatten it with the palm of your hand, wrap in a damp towel, wax paper, whatever, and place in the fridge to settle for 5 or so minutes before rolling it out.
- To roll out the dough, dust some flour on your work surface, then begin pressing from the center out toward the edge, turn a quarter and repeat. Repeat this until you have a disc that’s about 10-12” in diameter and be sure to use a flat spatula to release the bottom from the table every few turns.
To make the Galette
- Place a piece of parchment paper beneath your dough disk so it’s easier to move
- Pour the onion/fennel into the center and spread out to about an inch of the edge
- Top with tomatoes
- Fold-up the edges
- Brush with cream and sprinkle generously with Maldon Salt (or other flaky sea salt)
- Place into a preheated 375 Convection oven (or 400 non convection)
- Bake until the edges turn a golden brown and the perfume of the tomatoes fills your room
We enjoyed this in the garden after it had cooled for about 20 minutes and paired it with some garden greens that were tossed with roasted almonds, shaved apples, and a sherry-walnut vinaigrette. If we’d opened a bottle, it would have been a Southern Rhône white blend, a Chenin from the Loire, or a full-bodied chardonnaynay.
Enjoy, polpette! It’s a beautiful world out there, when we look for it. xo
“The first step is always the hardest, but you’ll never really know until you try”
Dolly Parton
Leave a Reply