Savory Asparagus Galette with Vegan Ricotta
User Reviews
5
Savory Asparagus Galette with Vegan Ricotta
Description
The Savory Asparagus Galette with Vegan Ricotta begins with a crust combining all-purpose flour, medium-ground cornmeal, salt, and chilled vegan butter cut into pea-sized pieces. Ice-cold water mixed with apple cider vinegar is added sparingly to achieve a dough that holds together without being too wet or crumbly. The dough is shaped into a disc and chilled before rolling out into a thin round between 12 to 14 inches in diameter. The cornmeal adds a subtle crunch and distinct texture to the crust, contrasting with the smooth filling.
The filling includes tender asparagus spears, ideally small to medium in size, and a vegan ricotta made from extra-firm tofu blended with nutritional yeast, garlic, white or yellow miso paste, onion powder, salt, pepper, fresh basil, dill, lemon zest, and juice. This ricotta substitute contributes a creamy, tangy flavor and herbaceous notes that complement the asparagus. Optional toppings like shelled peas and additional herbs such as tarragon, basil, and dill enhance freshness and color. The galette dough is folded around the filling for rustic presentation and baked to achieve a flaky crust and a warm, savory interior.
For texture considerations, the recipe notes that unsifted cornmeal may contain crunchy bits, which can be sifted out to avoid undesirable crunch. Leftover tofu ricotta can be refrigerated for at least a week, and the dough rolling may require extra flour to prevent sticking. The inclusion of lemon zest and fresh herbs brightens the dish and adds complexity to the flavor.
Ingredients
Galette
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 150g; plus more for flouring your work surface
- 1/2 cup cornmeal medium-grind; 75-85g
- 1/2 teaspoon salt fine sea salt
- 10 tablespoons vegan butter cubed and chilled until very firm; 140g
- 2-4 tablespoons water plus more as needed, ice cold
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- salt flaky sea salt; to taste
- black pepper flaky sea salt; to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons plant-based milk
- 1 asparagus try to choose spears that aren’t too thick or fat, small or medium bunch
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt Kosher, to taste
- black pepper Kosher, to taste
Tofu Ricotta (you’ll only need about 1/2 – 2/3 of this recipe) (Note 2)
- 1 tofu extra-firm, 14-ounce / 400g block
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 garlic roughly chopped, cloves
- 2 tablespoons White miso paste or yellow miso paste
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 black pepper freshly cracked, teaspoon
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 15 basil fresh leaves
- dill small handful, fresh
- 1 lemon zested and juiced (about 3 tablespoons juice, medium
Toppings (Note 3)
- 1 shelling peas shelled, large handful
- 1-2 tablespoons tarragon thinly sliced, fresh
- basil thinly sliced, small handful, leaves
- dill few sprigs, fresh
- lemon zest
Instructions
- Slice the vegan butter into cubes. Then place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to firm up.
- Make the crust. Mix the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, and salt in a large bowl. Add the chilled vegan butter and using a pastry cutter (or two knives), cut the butter into the flour mixture, until butter is about the size of peas.
- Mix 2 tablespoons of the ice water with the apple cider vinegar. Sprinkle it over the dough mixture, gently kneading the dough with your hands. Add more of the ice water as needed, just a teaspoon at a time until the dough easily comes together when you squeeze it and you can form a ball that doesn’t crumble when you pull it apart. The dough shouldn’t be too wet but a little sticky.1. NOTE: If the dough seems wet, add a little more flour into the mix. If the dough is not holding together or appears crumbly, add another more ice water, a tablespoon at a time.
- Shape the dough into a disc. Wrap the disc in plastic, or place in a bowl and cover it. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 48 hours.
- Make the tofu ricotta. Drain and pat dry the tofu with paper towels (no need to press it). Add the tofu in chunks to a food processor, along with the remaining ingredients. Blend until the mixture is smooth, thick, and creamy. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pan. Once the dough has chilled, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F/200°C, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. You’ll need to bring the dough to room temperature for 10-15 minutes to make it pliable enough to roll.
- Prepare the asparagus. Snap off the tough woody ends off the asparagus at their natural breaking point. You can leave the asparagus whole like I did, but it’s easier to cut the galette if you slice the asparagus into pieces, especially if you plan to serve this as an appetizer. Toss the the asparagus with the 1 tablespoon oil and season with kosher salt and pepper.
- Roll out the dough: Place the disc of dough on a large piece of parchment paper. Cover it with a second piece of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12-to 14-inch (30-35 cm) round that’s between 1/4 and 1/8-inch thick (0.3 – 0.6 cm), dust the rolling pin with flour as needed. If the dough sticks to the surface, add a little bit of flour underneath the rolling pin. When you’re done rolling, slide the parchment paper + dough onto a large baking sheet; discard the top layer of parchment. (Note 4)
- Add the toppings. Dollop half of the tofu ricotta on top of the dough, leaving a 1 1/2 to 2-inch (4-5 cm) border around the edge (see photos in blog post). You can add up to 2/3 of the tofu ricotta mixture, but don’t add to much, or it’ll weigh down the dough and may ooze out of the crust during baking. Arrange the prepared asparagus over the ricotta.
- Fold the galette. Fold the edges of the dough up over the filling to form a crust. Brush the tops and edges of the dough with the plant-based milk. Sprinkle the filling and the crust with flaky salt and pepper. Carefully transfer the prepared galette to the baking sheet.
- Bake the galette for 40-45 minutes, or until the crust is nicely golden brown and the crust is sturdy when you tap it, and the asparagus is tender.
- Once the galette has cooled a bit, top with the shelled peas, fresh herbs, and lemon zest.
Notes
- If you prefer a smoother crust texture, sift the cornmeal to remove crunchy bits before use.
- Use only half to two-thirds of the tofu ricotta for the galette; leftover ricotta keeps in the fridge for at least a week.
- Toppings like shelling peas, tarragon, basil, dill, and lemon zest add freshness but can be omitted or substituted (e.g., cherry tomatoes).
- Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin to prevent dough sticking; rolling dough onto a pin and unrolling on parchment helps transfer to the baking sheet.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6as main dish
Amount Per Serving
Calories 379 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 379kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 39g | 13% |
| Protein | 11g | 22% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Sodium | 673mg | 28% |
| Potassium | 422mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 1659IU | 33% |
| Vitamin C | 16mg | 18% |
| Calcium | 61mg | 6% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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