Cooking & Baking

justaprogressive

(6,262 posts) Fri Dec 12, 2025, 02:40 PM Dec 12

Four More From "Savoury Pies" 🌞

Curried Winter Squash Galette with Onion & Apple

When you write cookbooks, people often ask you how you come up
with all of your recipe ideas. I like to say that I can find
inspiration just aboutanywhere—from a photo, in my reading,
during a casual conversation, or inmy travels. Sometimes,
inspiration for a new dish is borrowed from an “old”dish, in
this case a warming curried winter squash and apple soup that I
like to make in the fall and winter. Like the soup, this galette
takes advantage of winter squash’s uncommon affinity for curry
seasoning. The diced apple adds a sweet note, but the caramelized
onions, curry, and Brie leave no doubt that this is a savory tart
first, and one that would go beautifully with a salad of greens,
toasted pecans, blue cheese, and vinaigrette.

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

1 recipe **Yeasted Butter Pastry, refrigerated

FILLING

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 cups halved and thinly sliced sweet onions
2 cups peeled, diced (½-inch) winter squash
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 cup peeled, diced (½-inch) Granny Smith or other firm tart apple
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 to 5 ounces Brie cheese, cut into small chunks

1. If you haven’t already, prepare the pastry as instructed,
moving it to therefrigerator for the second half of the rising.

2. Melt the butter in a large stovetop casserole over medium-low
heat. Addthe onions; salt and pepper them lightly. Cover and
cook, stirringoccasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove the lid,
raise the heat to medium,and continue to cook for 5 minutes
more.

3. Add the squash and curry powder to the onions. Sauté for 1
minute, then add the apple and 2 to 3 tablespoons water. Cover
and cook for 5 minutes, then uncover and continue to cook until
most of the “loose” liquid has cooked off but it is still a
little saucy. Stir in the brown sugar and vinegar and cook for
another minute or so. Remove from the heat and transfer the
filling to a platter. Set aside and cool to room temperature
while you preheat the oven to 375°F.

4. Get out a large rimless baking sheet. On a large sheet of
parchment paper, roll the dough into an oblong about 14 inches
long and 12 inches wide. Lift the paper onto your baking sheet
and trim the paper to fit.(Lacking parchment paper, you can roll
the dough on your floured worksurface and simply lift it onto
your lightly buttered baking sheet.)

5. Spread the cooled filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1½-
inch uncovered border all the way around. Fold the dough border
up and over the filling to contain it; the dough will form pleats
as you do so.

6. Bake the galette on the center oven rack until the edge is
golden brown, about 35 minutes. Slide out the oven rack and
carefully place the chunks of Brie here and there over the
filling. Slide the galette back in and bake just until the cheese
is soft and melty, about 5 minutes more. Transfer the pan to a
cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes, then slide the galette
directly onto the rack and cool for 5 more minutes before
serving.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

Once you’ve added the squash to your pan, the trick is to cook
it until it’s done, but not soft and mushy. As soon as it reaches
the point that it’s barely tender when you pierce it with a
toothpick, remove it from theheat.

If you find the dough hard to handle when you’re folding the
border over the filling, use a dough scraper or spatula to help
lift it. Or, you can simply lift up the parchment paper itself to
coax the edge of the pastry over the filling.

**Yeasted Butter Pastry

Yeasted Butter Pastry

Most of the time, pie dough and pastry recipes don’t have any
kind of leavening, and when they do, it is seldom yeast. Here’s
one exception. This is a very easy dough to mix in the food
processor. The kneading takes place right in the machine,
followed by a quick hand kneading when you turn the dough out. It
gets a partial rise at room temperature, with the second half
ofthe rising in the fridge; the chill makes it easier to roll.

Once baked, the texture of the crust is more biscuit-like than
flaky pastry, so it’s a good choice for many large galettes,
especially those with a fair amount of moisture. I always use
this for the Curried Winter Squash Galette with Onion and Apple.

MAKES ENOUGH FOR 1 LARGE FREE-FORM TART

½ cup lukewarm water
1¼ ounce packet (2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk

1. Pour the water into a small mixing bowl and sprinkle on the
yeast. Mix briefly with a fork, then set aside for 5 minutes.

2. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food
processor. Pulse several times to mix. Remove the lid and scatter
the butter over the dry mixture, then pulse the machine
repeatedly, perhaps eight or ten times, until the butter is
broken into small bits.

3. Add the egg yolk to the yeast liquid; blend with a fork.
Remove the lid of the food processor and pour the liquid over the
flour mixture. Pulse the machine repeatedly until the dough
coheres. Once it does, run the machine nonstop for 8 to 10
seconds to knead the dough.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; it will be
a little sticky. Dust the dough and your hands with flour, and
knead by hand for 1minute just to smooth it out. Transfer the
dough to a lightly oiled bowl, rotating the dough to coat the
entire surface with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let
rise at room temperature for 30 minutes. Transfer to the
refrigerator and let rise for another 30 to 45 minutes before
rolling.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

Even if you’ve never kneaded dough before, you can do this.
Remember, the dough has already been kneaded in the processor;
you’re just giving it one last massage. Using moderate pressure,
roll the dough away from you under one of your palms; the dough
isn’t big enough for two-palm kneading. Just scoot it along on
the counter, keeping a little tension on it. Dust with flour if
it sticks to anything. Lift the dough off the counter and repeat.

*********************************************************************

CHICKEN & RICE CHEESE STRUDEL

This is one of my favorite recipes in this entire collection, a
sort of casserole-within-a-pastry. We make a row of chicken
and rice down the center of a rectangle of dough, then cut
the savory strudel that adults and kids sides into strips and
fold them over the filling, creating a savoury strudel that
adults and kids alike will devour. Serve with cold applesauce,
and something crisp and light on the side, like a chopped salad.

Makes 6 servings

1 recipe **Go-To Pie Dough refrigerated

FILLING

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 to 4 ounces coarsely chopped baby spinach
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/3 cup sour cream
1 to 1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar, fontina
or Gouda cheese.
1 egg yolk beaten with 1
tablespoon milk
Sesame seeds, for sprinkling

1 If you haven't already, prepare the pastry and refrigerate it for
at least 1 hour.

2 Heat the olive in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion
and sauté for 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and spinach. Sauté
briefly, then stir in the chicken broth. Cook briefly to reduce the
liquid slightly, then stirin the rice, chicken,}é teaspoon salt, and
ground black pepper to taste. Continue to cook and stir a minute
or two longer, just until warmed. Remove from the heat and stir in
the sour cream. Taste, and add more salt if you like. Transfer to a
shallow bowl and set aside to cool for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven
to 375°F and get out a large baking sheet. 3

3. After 15 minutes, gently stir the cheese into the rice mixture.
Roll the pastry into a 10 x 15-inch rectangle on a large sheet of
parchment paper. (If you don't have parchment paper, you can
roll and assemble this on a floured work surface, then move it
to your baking sheet; or you can roll the dough, transfer it to your
baking sheet, and assemble it there.) Mentally divide the dough
into three lengthwise sections, then make a neat, mounded row of
the filling down the middle section, leaving about 1 1/2 inches
of dough uncovered at both ends. Make a couple of notches on
each end, creating a little flap of dough that you can fold up over the filling,

4 Now take a paring knife or dough scraper and cut the uncovered
portions of dough on the sides into 1 1/2 inch-wide strips,
perpendicular to the filling. Starting at one of the ends, fold
a strip diagonally over the filling, then fold the strip on the
opposite side diagonally over the first one. Brush the end of
each strip with a little of the egg wash, then continue folding
the strips over the filling, alternating from side to side and
brushing with egg wash. When you're done. lift the parchment and
strudel onto your baking sheet. Lightly brush the entire surface
with egg wash and sprinkle liberally with sesame seeds.

5 Bake the strudel on the center oven rack until the pastry is a
rich golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool
for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe for Success

One of the keys to success here is making
sure that the filling is properly moist, not dry.
That's why we add both chicken broth and
sour cream to the leftover rice, which tends
to dry out as it sits in the fridge. So. just
before stirring in the cheese, have a taste
of the rice and, if it seems to need a little more
broth, go ahead and stir in a few extra tablespoons.
Instead of spinach, you could add chopped
broccoli florets to the rice. Add the broccoli when
you would have added the spinach, heating until
almost tender.

**Go-to Pie Dough

8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter plus
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening (or 10
tablespoons cold unsalted butter), cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons white vinegar
Scant 1/3 cup cold water

GO-TO PIE DOUGH It’s no mystery why I call this my “go-to” dough: It’s so versatile that I use it for perhaps four out of every five of the savory (and sweet) pies that I make. You can’t beat it for reliability, and it bakes up to a beautiful texture, perfectly balanced between flaky and short. This is the singlecrust recipe; the double crust version follows. The recipe calls for a food processor; to make the dough by hand, see the Note. Makes enough for 1(9%- inch) pie or tart shell

1 Put the butter and shortening cubes in a single layer on a flour-dusted plate, with the shortening off to one side of the plate by itself. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt ina bow! and refrigerate that mixture also. Pour the vinegar into a 1-cup glass measure. Add enough cold water to equal 4 cup liquid. Refrigerate

2 When you're ready to mix the pastry, transfer the flour mixture to a food processor. Pulse several times to mix. Remove the lid and scatter about 6 tablespoons of the butter-a little more than half of the total fat-over the dry mixture. Pulse the machine five times-that's five 1-second pulses-followed by an uninterrupted 5-second run, Remove the lid and add the remaining fat. Give the machine six or seven 1-second pulses.

3 Remove the lid and loosen the mixture with a big fork: you'll have a range of fat clods, most quite small but a few larger ones as well. With the lid off, drizzle about half of the liquid over the mixture. Replace the lid and give the machine three very quick. half-second pulses. Remove the lid, loosen the mixture with your fork, and ‘add the rest of the liquid. Pulse briefly three or four times, just like before. The mixture will still look crumbly, but the crumbs will be starting to get a little clumpier.

4 Transfer the contents of your processor to a large bowl, one large enough to get your hands in. Start rubbing the crumbs together, as if you were making a streusel topping—what you're doing is redistributing the butter and moisture without overworking the dough. (NOTE: If your dough mixture came out of the food processor more clumpy than crumb-like, don't worry. Just pack it together like a snowball, knead it very gently two or three times, and proceed to step 5) You can accomplish the same thing by “smearing” the crumbs down the sides of the bow! with your fingers. When the dough starts to gather in large clumps, pack it like a snowball and knead gently. three or four times, on a lightly floured surface.

5 Put the dough on along piece of plastic wrap and flatten it
into a T-inch-thick disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and
refrigerate for at least 1/; to 2 hours; overnight is fine. (You
can also slip the wrapped dough into a gallon-size plastic
freezer bag and freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in
the refrigerator before using)

NOTE:

To make the dough by hand, chill all of your ingredients as
specified in step 1, but increase the flour to.1 1/2 cups plus 1
1/2 tablespoons. Remove the butter and shortening from the
refrigerator 5 to 8 minutes before mixing: it should have a
little “give” to it when squeezed between your fingers. Add
about 6 tablespoons of the butter to your dry mixture; toss to
coat with flour. Using your pastry blender, cut in the butter
until the largest pieces of fat are pea-size. Add the remaining
fat. toss to coat, and cut that in. The entire mixture should
look like it has been “touched” by the fat, and nothing should be
larger than pea-size. Pour half of your liquid down around the
sides of the bowl, but not in any one spot. Mix well with a
large fork, moving the mixture in from the sides and up from the
bottom. Repeat with the remaining liquid, but add the last few
teaspoons only if needed.Rub and smear the crumbs as specified
in step 4 until a dough starts to form. Pack the dough and
knead gently a couple of times. Flatten into a disk, then wrap
and refrigerate.

Recipe for Success

In case you're wondering why there's vinegar here and in some of
the other pastry recipes. it's becausevinegar is an acid, and
acids tenderize things made with wheat flour. That's why sour
cream pancakes andbuttermilk biscuits have that melt-in-your-
mouth softness. Don't worry: You won't taste the vinegar in
the finished crust.

*************************************************************

CLYDE’S CHILI BISCUIT COBBLER

Clyde is my father-in-law, an inventive cook who grew into his craft hunting and fishing his way through a West Virginia childhood, spending 22 years in the Marine Corps, and then a decade or so shrimping and cooking up the best seafood the South Carolina Lowcountry has to offer. The inspiration for this dish is all Clyde’s, though I have—the way most cooks do—fiddled and tweaked with it to add my personal stamp. The concept, great chili with a biscuit topping, simple, and the flavor is fabulous. It’s the perfect cold weather dish.

Makes 6 to 8 serving

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1(28-ounce) can diced tomatoes,
2(15-ounce) cans pinto beans,
1 1/2 cups beef broth or more if needed
1 cup tomato sauce
3 tablespoons Heinz chili sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste, or more to taste.
1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar

TOPPING

1 recipe **Cornmeal Biscuit Crust

1 Heat the oil in a large stovetop casserole or Dutch oven
over medium heat. Add the onion and green pepper and sauté
for 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the ground chuck. Brown the meat
thoroughly, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
When the meat has browned, remove the pot from the heat,
tilt it, and spoon off and discard all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of the fat.

2 Put the pot back on the heat and stir in the garlic, chili powder,
cumin, and paprika. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, Stir in the rest of
the chili ingredients, along with ¥s teaspoon salt and ground black
pepper to taste.

3. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring
occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. The chili should stay nice
‘and saucy because the biscuits will need the liquid as they
cook. If it starts to get too thick, add up to 4 cup additional
broth. And if it needs a little more body, add another
tablespoon of tomato paste. Season to taste with more salt
and pepper if needed.

4 If the pot you've been cooking in doesn't dwarf the amount of chili-in which case, the top crust would not get properly browned-you can also just leave the chill in the pot and finish baking the cobbler right init. Otherwise, when the chili is done simmering, transfer it to a smaller casserole dish that you have lightly oiled. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

5 Prepare the dough as instructed; however, since you will not
be rolling it out like a pie crust, it's not crucial that you
chill the dry mixture. On a floured work surface, pat or roll
the dough about % inch thick. Using a 1 1/2 to 2-inch round
biscuit cutter, cut the dough and place the circles, evenly
spaced, on top of the chili. Be sure to gather the scraps and
cut them, too. Bake until the biscuits are cooked through and
golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool briefly, then serve.

Recipe for Success

This recipe does make quite a bit of chil, more than you may
need for your meal. If that's the case, | suggest refrigerating
or freezing some of it for later. Transfer the amount of chili
you do want to use to a medium-size casserole. filing it about
two-thirds full, Then roll (or pat) your dough. cut your
biscuits, and place them on top.(The smaller your casserole, the
thicker your biscuits will need to be) This won't leave you with
any biscuit topping for the portion you saved, but that's okay:
the chillis great on its own. Clyde never serves this dish
without an entire smorgasbord of garnishes, each in its own
little bowl: sour cream, grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese,
shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced olives, pickled jalapefio
Pepper slices, salsa, and more. I's just not the same without.

**Cornmeal Biscuit Crust

CORNMEAL BISCUIT CRUST

This dough makes a few cameo appearances in the coming recipes, on top of a delicious chili cobbler under and over a creamy tomato cobbler pie, and elsewhere. The preparation is similar to traditional pastry—mix dry, cut in fat, add liquid—but the outcome is clearly more biscuit than flaky pastry. As with the Cornmeal Pie Dough (page 28), one of the most appealing features of this crust is the slight bit of cornmeal crunch. I think you're going to like it. Makes enough for 1 dinner pie or cobbler.

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 cup fine yellow cornmeal (like Quaker)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup cold sour cream
1/3 cup cold whole milk

1 Combine the flour. cornmeal, sugar, baking powder. baking
soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk well to combine, then
refrigerate this dry mixture for 30 minutes.

2. Add the butter, toss to coat with the dry mixture, and then
use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients
until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, but with a scattering
of larger visible butter pieces {no larger than small peas).

3 Whisk the sour cream and milk in a small bowl. Make a well
in the dry mixture and add the liquid all at once. Using a wooden
spoon, briskly stir the mixture until the dough pulls together. It
should be a little on the stiff side. Let the dough sit undisturbed
for 1 minute. Lightly flour the dough, your hands, and your work
surface, then turn the dough out and knead it gently a few times.
If you aren't using the dough right away, place it on a sheet of
plastic wrap, flatten the dough into a %-inch-thick disk, then wrap
in the plastic and refrigerate until needed.

Recipe for Success

A biscuit dough. especially one with sour cream, can be a little
soft and sticky to handle. That's why like to chill the dry
ingredients before making this dough: As with traditional pie
pastry, the chilling firms everything up and makes the dough
easier to work with. If you can take the time to do so, I suggest
chilling not just the ingredients to make the dough, but the dough
itself before you roll it

*********************************************************

MEATLOAF WELLINGTON

Here’s beef Wellington’s casual cousin, a dish I've also heard referred to as “poor man’s beef Wellington.” In place of the pricey and more formal beef tenderloin, we wrap our pastry around a big log of perfectly seasoned beef and sausage meatloaf. It makes for a hip food-fashion statement, like one of those country singers who shows up on awards night in a tuxedo jacket and blue jeans. If you want to sauce this with a little something, I like to blend equal parts mustardy barbecue sauce and Heinz chili sauce and warm the mixture in the microwave or a saucepan. Mashed potatoes or potatoes au gratin on the side, please.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1recipe **Go-To Pie Dough (see above)

FILLING

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/4 up finely chopped green bell pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
3 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons Heinz chilis sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Several shakes of Tabasco or other hot sauce
1 pound lean ground beef
8 ounces hot or mild Italian sausage meat, out of the casing
1/3 cup dry Italian-style bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 Prepare the pastry, but instead of shaping it into a disk, shape it into a square about 3/4 inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

2 Heat the oil in amedium-size skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and bell pepper. Sauté until the onion is translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3 In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, milk, chili sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco. Set aside.

4 Combine the beef and sausage in a large mixing bowl, breaking up the meat somewhat with your hands. ‘Add the bread crumbs, thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Mix by hand for another few seconds to spread everything around, Add the beaten egg mixture. Mix well by hand until evenly combined.

5 Mound the meatloaf on a large piece of parchment paper or wax paper and shape it into a fat 8 1/2-inch-long log, Fold the paper over the meat, put tension on the paper, and sort of roll the meat in the wrap so it takes on a well-rounded shape. Keep the roll as close to 8 1/2 inches long as possible. Wrap the meatloaf up in the Paper, seal the ends, and place on a small baking sheet. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

6. When you're ready to bake. preheat the oven to 350°F. Get out a 5 x 9-inch loaf pan and butter it lightly. Linethe long sides and bottom with a single sheet of parchment paper 15 to 16 inches long; you want enough of ‘an overhang to grab when you lift out the meatloaf later.

7. Roll the pastry into a 12-inch square on a lightly floured sheet of wax paper or parchment paper. Remove the meatloaf from the wrapping and place it in the center, as if you were getting ready to wrap a present. Fold one of the sides of the pastry up over the length of the meat, snugly. and moisten the exposed edge with a wet fingertip. Fold up the other long side, overlapping the first one. Press gently together. Fold up the ends of the pastry-again, sort of like wrapping a present-and then place the loaf in the loaf pan, seam side down. Using a serrated knife, make a 2-inch-long slit, lengthwise, in the center of the top of the pastry.

8. Bake the loaf until the juices run clear-youlll see them come out the top slit-and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf registers 160°F, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer the loaf pan to a cooling rack for 10 to 15 minutes and then, lifting by the overhanging parchment, remove the loaf from the pan and place it on a platter. Coo! a bit longer before slicing and serving.

Recipe for Success

When you fold the pastry over the meat, you don't have to pinch it together. The seams are going to end up either under the loaf or hidden at the ends. and the pressure from the expanding loaf will seal them nicely. | think any meatloaf tastes best when it has had plenty of time to cool, preferably to lukewarm, and the juices have reabsorbed into the loaf. Keep that in mind if youre serving this for a gathering: You can have it out of the oven well before people arrive.

**Cornmeal Biscuit Crust

All the above from "Savoury Dinner Pies"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57941284-savory-dinner-pies

Glorious fillings to fill you up!