Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Gallete

Recipe by Anna Gill

For the crust:
1¼cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and re-chilled
2 to 5 tablespoons ice cold vodka (it evaporates and makes crust flakier)
1 tablespoon of fresh shredded sage leaves
1 large egg, slightly beaten

For the filling:
1 butternut squash, approximately 2 lbs., peeled, seeded, and cut into small pieces, 2” by ¼ “-yielding about 4 cups
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced crosswise
6 ounces soft mild goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 500°F with middle rack.

Crust:
In a food processor, briefly pulse together the flour and salt. Add butter and sage, then pulse until mixture forms chickpea-size pieces (3 to 5 one-second pulses).
Add vodka 1 tablespoon at a time, the fewer tablespoons the better. Pulse after adding each tablespoon until mixture is just moist enough to hold together.
Form dough into a ball, wrap with plastic and flatten into as wide a disk as you quickly can. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before rolling out and baking.

Filling: 
Make while dough is chilling.
1. Toss squash with sea salt and 1 tablespoon of the oil and arrange in a single layer in a roasting pan approximately 17 by 12-inches.
2. Roast the squash, until golden brown on edges and undersides, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through roasting.
3. Remove squash from oven and reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt and cook partially covered and stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly.
6. Add squash, goat cheese, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and toss gently.

Make galette:
1. Roll out dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin.
2. Transfer gently to a baking sheet.
3. Arrange filling in an even layer in center of dough, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border. Fold dough in on itself to cover outer rim of filling, pleating dough as necessary.
4. Brush pastry with beaten egg and bake galette until crust is cooked through and golden on edges, 35 to 45 minutes.
5. Cool on baking sheet on a rack 10 minutes before serving. Or cool and refrigerator until needed. Bring to room temperature and then reheat at 200°F.