A quick green side for spring - Asparagus, Snap Pea, New Potato & Fiddlehead Sauteé.  Serve warm or cold, a simple medley of spring produce.  

A prepare ahead item for brunch, it's perfect along side an omelette for Mother's Day or in the evening fresh piece of fish, prepared very simply with just a bit of butter and lemon.  Quickly blanch asparagus and snap peas in boiling salted water until they're bright green, about 2 minutes.   Then remove immediately from the boiling water and put them straight into an ice water bath.

The fiddleheads require a longer cooking time to remove all impurities.  Boil for ten minutes, strain and again chill the hot fiddleheads in cold, clean water.  This removes tannins and bitterness and some people get upset stomachs from fiddleheads so you're better safe than sick.  You can see by the colour of the water after cooking just a half dozen fiddleheads that this might be a good idea, though I regularly just stream them until they're bright green, about 5 minutes, rinse and serve.

Cook potatoes until just tender, about 12 minutes and chill them in the same manner.  Your cooked vegetables can stand at room temperature for a couple of hours if needed or then can pop them in the fridge until you're ready.

A drizzle of olive oil, a bit of crushed garlic and a quick sauteé  to warm them through over medium heat, season, add a touch of chive from the garden and serve.

Asparagus, Snap Pea, New Potato & Fiddlehead Sauteé, a light, bright green taste of spring.  Good food doesn't have to be complicated.  

Inspired by the delicious crisps of Raincoast fame, a few tasty items from the pantry and I created my very own variety, I give you... Fig Walnut Thyme Crisps.

I bloody love Lesely Stowe's Raincoast Crisps, must go through a sleeve of them every week.  For breakfast with almond butter, for lunch with butternut squash soup, a little appetizer with a chunk of cheese before dinner, and with spoonfuls of Nutella during  late night feeding frenzies.

Last week as i was about to put my weekly supply in the cart I figured "how hard can these be?!"  Come on, it's just a loaf, sliced and then re-baked like a biscotti.  Easy right?  As it turns out, yea, they're a cinch.

The basic recipe for Rosemary Raisin Pecan Crisps  I borrowed from fellow Canadian Food Blogger Julie Van Rosendaal,  who publishes Dinner with Julie.  It's a recipe that's widely available, but instead of rosemary, raisins and pecans I used figs, walnuts and thyme.

Try your own version, think savory and sweet, avoid anything with added fat (I.e: cheese), or moisture (like fresh fruit).  You want a nice dense, dry loaf to start, then let it cool or chill it in the freezer, slice it super thin and there you go, you're makin' crisps.

On my first try I didn't cut mine thin enough.  The reason you slice them so thin, I've discovered, is so you don't damage your dental work.  Good news --- I am now forced to consume these and try again.  The canine & I shall remove all the tartar from our teeth with this batch.   Have the second loaf  in the freezer, we'll whip those up this weekend, sliced THIN and update you.I really like the loaf itself I must say, pre-slice and re-bake, it's super tasty, a hint of sweetness against  the seeds & nuts.

Think YUMmmmm.

Fig Walnut Thyme Crisps Recipe

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2  teaspoons  salt
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 cup dried figs, chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup  flax seeds
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup flax seed, ground
1 tabelspoon chopped fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Method:

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Add buttermilk, brown sugar and honey and stir to mix, don;t beat, just stir.  Add the figs, walnuts, flax seed, ground flax, pine nuts and rosemary and fold until blended.

Spray two 8”x4” loaf pans with nonstick spray and pour batter, to about 1/2 an inch from the lip of the pan.  Bake for about 35 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch.  Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack.

The cooler the bread, the easier it is to slice really thin. You can leave it until the next day or pop it in the freezer.  Slice the loaves as thin as you can and place the slices in a single layer on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Reduce the oven heat to 300° F and bake them for about 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 10 minutes, until crisp and deep golden. Try not to eat them all at once.

Makes about 8 dozen crackers when you slice them nice and thin.

Sliced a little too thick... The next loaf I'll slice about half this thickness.

A simple pasta soft, unripened cheese, lots of healthy grilled vegetables, a hint of garlic scape and a blast of balsamic reduction serve hot or cold, as a starter or a main for lunch or dinner.  Easy, fast and healthy it's the prefect meal as temperatures rise and the desire for all things growing takes over.

I'm pushing the seasons a bit, but I just can't help myself.  I can't shop without filling the cart in the produce isle right now.  If it's alive, and from the garden I want to eat it.  In the barbecue season, I grill huge platters of vegetables and stash them for the week.  If it can be cut and cooked, it can be grilled.  

In this bowl: grilled asparagus, peppers, zucchini, porcini mushrooms, yellow onions, green onions, celery and fennel all lightly brushed with olive oil, seasoned with salt & pepper make perfect base for some great meals.  

Keeping things simple, the favours of the garden shine through.  I used a little garlic scape paste, which you may recall from last summer.  I keep it in the fridge for the late winter/early spring when garlic gets punky and soft.  It's got a bright, fresh flavour without the garlic heat, but a clove of crushed garlic totally works.

Another warm weather must have: balsamic reduction.  As simple as taking balsamic vinegar and allowing it to simmer until it's thick (and the whole house smells of vinegar).  I keep it in a squeeze bottle for a drizzle over salads, pastas, fish & antipasto.  Then this pasta comes together as easy as one, two, three... four.

Grilled Vegetable Pasta with Bocconcini & Balsamic Reduction

One:  Grill and chop your vegetables.  Brush with the oil of your choice, keep your heat moderate, you want to grill them, not incinerate them.  Chop when cool.

Two:  Cook your pasta.  Any pasta, any shape, any style.

Three:  Toss cooked pasta with olive oil, garlic paste, salt & pepper over medium-low heat.  Warm gently.

Four:  Plate.  Finish with fresh cut bocconcini and drizzle with balsamic reduction and serve.

Live, Love, Eat... WELL!

Cookies for breakfast? Relax Mom, they're vegan, wheat-free, low sugar, low fat, Granola Breakfast Cookies.  But nobody needs to know they're healthy!

In my years in the kitchen at Nova Scotia's Dragonfly Inn, breakfast cookies became a popular item with guests.  Big on grains, dried fruit and nuts, they're packed with nutrition, unfortunately they're also packed with fat, sugar and gluten.  This week I looked at a way to update that recipe and make it more belly friendly to all the foodie special interest groups.

Found a recipe very similar to mine with a few little differences:  the fat is olive oil instead of butter, the glue is apple sauce instead of eggs, the flour is spelt instead of wheat, they're not gluten-free, but certainly wheat-free if you're watching your grains.

I love to bake with olive oil, it's fruity flavor adds an extra dimension to baked goods, and dam if it isn't good for you.

In this recipe I've used rolled barley as well as steel cut oats, because I wanted that full-on granola taste and a bump in nutrition (barley is a good source of iron) but you can substitute one for the other without consequence.  Use whatever dried fruit you happen to have or toss in chocolate chips or carob bits instead.

Consume without guilt, while wearing Birkenstocks and wool socks.

Granola Breakfast Cookies Recipe

(adapted from Vegan Baking Mama)

Prep time 15 minutes
Baking time: 25 minutes
Makes 12 - 16 cookies

2 tablespoons raw almonds, chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1 cup spelt flour
1 cup steel cut oats
1/2 cup of rolled barley
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (kosher) salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup olive oil
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon vanilla
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
2 tablespoons dried apricots, chopped
2 tablespoons dried pear, chopped

Preheat the oven to 325*F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat mat.

Method:

1. On a parchment lined cookie sheet, toast almonds, sesame seeds, coconut & sunflower seeds in the pre-heated oven for about 5 minutes, watch for coconut to be lightly brown. (Toasting is not imperative, but it gives the cookie some added crunch, and yumminess.)
2. In a medium bowl blend together spelt flour, oats, barley, flax, baking soda, baking powder & cinnamon with a spoon or spatula.
3. Create well in center of dry ingredients, add sugar, olive oil, apple sauce and vanilla, mix with spatula until well blended.  Fold in the toasted ingredients, along with dried fruit.
4. Scoop dough with a tablespoon to form uniform mounds on prepared sheet, about 2 inches apart.  If the cookies look too high, use a wet finger and gently press them down to form flat disks.  Bake at 325*F for 12-15 minutes or until golden and crisp around the edges.
5. Place tray on cooling rack and allow cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes. (These cookies are very moist, moving them before they've cooled will cause breakage, and you'll be forced to eat them.)  Once cool and firm, shift cookies off the sheet onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Keep your Granola Breakfast Cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.  IF you have leftovers, they freeze beautifully for lunches and on-the-go snacks.

Did I mention they're good for you?! For the hippy in you from the hippy in me. Peace out.

Roasted Vegetables with Garlic, Rosemary & Lemon, know at Chez Gypsy as the Ode to Tubers, is a household favorite.  The oils from the olive, the lemon and rosemary are old friends; they bond in a familiar kinship to make this simple side dish look amazing, taste terrific and smell fantastic.

A colourful side for a holiday meal, or on a platter along side your favorite roasted meat for a casual serve-yourself family-style meal.

One of the reasons I love this dish is because it basically cooks itself,  bang the veggies in (hardest vegetables first) as you prep them and, if needed, it can stand on the counter for hours without risk before being quickly reheated to serve.  It's a always big hit with veggie folk because it's packed with taste, nutrition and it's 100% vegan.

Carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, a couple of different kinds of onions, and parsnips all tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper a touch of crushed garlic.  It just so happened I had a leek in the fridge, so I threw that in to add a little extra ooph to the sweetness of onion.

I don't bother peeling the garlic anymore, because it's more fun to squeeze it out of the thin skin when it's all sweet and gooey.

In fact, I don't peel any of the vegetables I use in this for two reasons.  One:  the peel acts as a barrier as it roasts and helps maintain moisture on the inside, while crisping on the outside.  Two: not only is the outer flesh a good source of fiber, while it's keeping all that moisture in, it's keeping a great deal of nutrition (little things like vitamins and minerals), in too.  Instead of peeling, just soak them for a few minutes and give them a good scrub, except for the onions, which are peeled and prepped.

Oh root vegetables, how I love thee, let me count the ways.

Roasted Vegetables with Garlic, Rosemary & Lemon (Ode to Tubers) Recipe

4 carrots, coursely chopped
18 new potatoes, halved
1 large sweet potatoe, cut into 2 inch chunks
1 large onion, cut into 1/2 inch slices
10 peral yellow oinions, whole, peeled
12 cloves of garlic, whole
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 large parsnips, coursely chopped
6 sprigs of rosemeary
1 lemon, cut into 6 1/2 inch slices
1/4 cup olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350*
Coat oven-proof baking tray with non-stick spray.

Method:

1. Wash & cut carrots, in large bowl toss carrots with generous drizzle of olive oil, salt & pepper.  Pour on to baking tray, place on the center rack of a 350* oven.  Set timer for 15 minutes.
2. Wash & cut creamer (new) potatoes, pearl onions, onion slices and sweet potatoes.  In same bowl toss vegetables with generous drizzle of olive oil, salt & pepper and one sprig of rosemary, broken into single needles and one clove of garlic, crushed.  Once timer rings, remove carrots from oven, add potatoes (etc) to tray.  Toss lightly to mix, spread evenly so vegetables are in ONE layer.  Place tray back in 350* oven for 15 minutes.
3. Wash & cut parsnips, green onions leeks, lemon slices and four (whole) sprigs of rosemary.  In large bowl toss  with generous drizzle of olive oil, salt & pepper.  Be sure to salt the lemons, this will help draw out the juice as the lemon cooks.  Once timer rings, remove tray from oven add parsnips, leeks and green onions and mix to coat.  Arrange rosemary among vegetables in single layer.  Take ends of lemon (not sliced) and squeeze juice on to the vegetables on the tray.  Top with lemon slices and place tray back in 350* oven for 25 minutes, turning once with a spoon.

Gypsy Notes:  if you would like to serve the rosemary as a garnish (as shown) I reccomend that you add an extra three or four, lightly oiled sprigs about 5 minutes before removing from the oven, just to lightly toast them.  Then discard the ones used to flavour the dish, because they'll be whilted and black.

Plate, finish with a good quality olive oil and go... eat your veggies.

To be more precise: candied yams, dates & walnuts with yogurt & brandied figs.   A happy accident that became dessert and is now a winter favourite.

Throughout my 20's and 30's I hosted an Orphan's Dinner on both Thanksgiving and Christmas; a gathering of disenfranchised souls and wayward travelers separated by distance (and some by choice) from family.  These were wine driven affairs that would last well into the night, as we leaned on each other instead of being alone.

On year, after having filled multiple bellies with turkey, stuffing and all the sides, my then roommate of many years, Scott, turned to me and (with the breath of a thousand breweries) asked "What's for dessert?!"

Oh crap.  Dessert.  I was so focused on feeding a table of ten (including three vegetarians) out of a 6 x 8 kitchen and keeping my glass filled so as not to feel any pesky emotions--- dessert slipped my mind.  Then I then discovered that somehow the candied sweet potatoes had not made it to the table.

Hallelujah.

Wine being the mother of invention where recipes are concerned; I melted a little more butter, added some brown sugar, dates and nuts seasoned it like pumpkin pie and... voila... dessert.  That was almost 15 years ago, long before the discovery of brandied figs (thank you Burnt Butter), they are pitch perfect for this sweet end to a cold day.

As it turned out my candied yam surprise  was one of those sleeper hits you never expect.  Sweet spiced starchiness, sticky chewy dates and the light bitterness of walnuts all in a light caramel, which I now salt just to take it to the next level of maturity.

Nutritionally speaking it's packed: potassium in the sweet potatoes, iron in the dates and omega 3s in the walnuts.  Big hit with the veg crowd,  even bigger hit with the gluten-free guest in our midst who nearly burst into tears.  While I'd like to think it was my cooking I'm certain it was the wine and maybe just a touch of missing home.

Gypsy that I am, at home wherever I am, i find family in the embrace of friends and dessert in forgotten side dishes.

Candied Yams, Dates & Walnuts with Yogurt & Brandied Figs - Recipe

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

• 3 medium sweet potatoes (approximately 4 cups), pealed & cut into 1½  inch pieces
• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ cup dried dates, coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)
• yogurt, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
• 6 – 8 brandied figs, cut in half (or quartered)

Method:

1. Make ahead: place dried figs in a container with a sealable lid, cover completely with brandy.  Allow to stand for minimum of 8 hours (24 preferred) until figs are plump and re-hydrated with brandy.  Try not to eat them, I dare you.
2. Lightly steam sweet potatoes either the microwave (3 minutes) or in a stove top steamer (10 minutes) until slightly underdone. They should be bright orange in colour and soft on the outside but still firm in the centre. Remove, drain and cool.
3. In a large pan over medium heat, melt butter and toss gently with sweet potatoes to coat, then continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add brown sugar and spices, cook about 7 minutes over medium heat, bubbling to form a loose caramel, turn occasionally to coat.
4. Add dates, walnuts and salt; continue to cook and gently turn sweet potatoes cooking about 3 minutes until the dates are just soft.  Add more sugar or butter if needed: add sugar if you see loose oil in the pan, add butter if the potatoes are too sticky and the caramel is starting to coagulate. You’re looking for an even, shiny coat of caramel without scorching. Remove from heat and serve.

Serve with: yogurt, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  Top with brandied figs and a sprinkle of cinnamon oh... and a drizzle of brandy never hurt anyone.

This caught my eye at the local grocer; lover of asparagus that I am, I'd never seen the purple variety before.   Certainly familiar with it's green sibling, it's sunlight deprived white cousin and it's wild roots but until now I've never even heard of Purple Passion Asparagus.

Woo hoo, new food!

Purple asparagus differs from its counterparts, having high sugar and low fibre levels and was originally developed in Italy and commercialised under the name 'Violetto d'Albenga'.  Since then, breeding work has continued in the United States and New Zealand, though this pretty little bunch comes from Peru.

I've yet to taste it.  Currently pondering how to prepare it for my lunch,  some reports say purple asparagus looses it purple colour when cooked.  I'll get back to you on that.

Clearly, more research is required.  Fortunately I then get to eat my research.

These were looking a little worse for wear, so I've been haunting the produce isles until I found a nice juicy bunch...

Certain members of the family won’t eat their veggies? Nothing a little olive oil, garlic and parmesan cheese won’t cure.  Super simple, super easy, super cheesy, four ingredients.

Here we've added brussles sprouts, yes, brussles spouts, tiny cabbages. Yum.  Roast any firm, savoury vegetable this way; carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, brussels sprouts.    Switch up cheeses for a different favour accent; try asiago, or Romano instead.

Eat your veggies, they make you strong.

Roasted Cauliflower á la Cheese - Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 – 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cauliflower, cut into 1 inch florets
• 1 cup brussels sprouts, cut in half (length wise)
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or crushed
• 2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375*
2. In large bowl add vegetables, dress with olive oil, garlic and cheese. Toss by hand to coat well. Season. Toss again, by hand.
3. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick stray, pour vegetables on to try and evenly distribute. If using various kinds of vegetables, distribute them on the sheet, many have varying sugar and moisture levels, this will ensue that all cook evenly well. Place in pre-heated 375*oven for 40 minutes or until vegetables appear golden brown.
4. Remove and serve.

Live, Love, Eat... WELL!

Another of life’s pleasant detours brought me through the doors of the newly opened Back Lane Café under the wing of one of Ottawa’s best guides.

Its artful decor, high ceilings, aged plaster walls, colorful art, mix & match wood chairs and comfortably large wood tables paired with the sleekness of bits of brass, hints polished concrete and stylish lighting threw me.  Am I in Ottawa, or am I in Paris?

Enough style to welcome me in my Bebe heels, enough causal attitude to embrace me in my sneakers. I felt instantly transported to a different place, a different time; a scene of my imagination, down a narrow cobblestone lane in pre-war Paris. 

In this modern version there was a distinct lack of cigarette smoke and table of forlorn artists drinking cappuccino and complaining about money.  Instead, conversation was peppered with optimism thanks to my lunch companion, Paola St- Georges of C’est Bon Cooking.

A welcome addition to Ottawa’s eclectic Hintonburg neighborhood, the Back Lane Café is the brain child of longtime restaurateur George Monsour.  Recently returned from six years in Paris, Monsour had a vision that would offer Ottawa a change of pace; a nod to a time when life was lived in the back lanes of the neighborhood, in gardens and open kitchens and everything was made fresh, from scratch.

This vision is echoed in a menu that leans French but borrows from Mediterranean favor; with bright, sharp, contrast and fresh, fresh, FRESH ingredients. Everything at the Back Lane Café is made in-house, from the bread to the deserts.  There is no such thing as “pop”, instead they offer Charlotte’s Lazy Back Lane Spritzers; made from in-house fruit syrups and sparkling water - truly a “must have”.

A tight selection of tempting appetizers, salads, mains and wood fired pizzas make for an easy to please menu. Eat light, share a pizza, have one of everything including fresh beignets (called yeast doughnuts on the menu) – up to you.

Almond Garlic Mushroom Pate offered with a slection of freshly picked treats course mustard and a mustard aioli

We had to start with the Almond, Garlic, Mushroom Pate ($9), Paola insisted on it.  A wonderful vegetarian appetizer for lovers of fungus.  Local Veg Heads take note; between this and the Margarita Pizza ($16), you’ll be well served at the Back Lane.

I was torn between the Lobster Omelet with Potato Salad ($14) and the Duck Confit Baguette with Goat Cheese and soup du jour ($16) – which turned out to be an amazing Gumbo.  Not your typical “soup & sandwich”.

One good Gumbo.

I’d forgotten how much I love corn until I started into the bowl of gumbo before me, filled with shrimp and gratifyingly void of okra with just enough punch to be a proper gumbo. The combination of savory duck against tangy goat cheese, sweet grape and slightly bitter arugula was a winner.

Executive Chef Evan Pritchard shows his love of local fare in every bite.  Haunting the Parkdale Market in the early hours, he then sets the tone of the day with stocks and soups and steps behind the line for the lunch service.  Pritchard’s passion for great food spills out as he chats easily about the new digs he enjoys daily, and not one but two wood-fired Le Panyol ovens from France, which they pieced together themselves.

“They arrived like a giant Lego puzzle,” says Pritchard “and the worst ‘Ikea’ instructions you’ve ever seen. They’re dome shaped and we had to figure out which piece fit where, with a key-stone at the top… but we got it.”

Those Panyol ovens are the secret to a 2 minute pizza at Back Lane.  In fact the heat is so intense the pan is turned 180* after 60 seconds to avoid burning on one side.

Paola St-Georges of C'est Bon Cooking, she always has what I'm having. (sheesh!) Wait a minute, are you... Tweeting?! Is she Tweeting?!

Never turn a chef down when he/she offers a tour of the kitchen.  You can learn a lot about a place from a few minutes spent in the kitchen, and this is a kitchen to be proud of.  Unlike the moody ambiance of the front of house the Back Lane Café’s kitchen is gleaming white and flooded with natural light from… are you ready for it… windows.

Pritchard & Monsour, in a candid moment.

Can’t say I've ever seen a commercial kitchen, anywhere, that is as bright and receptive as this one.  While its lack of freezer and large walk-in cooler told me a great deal about its food; its meticulous attention to detail told me more about the man behind the vision that is brought to stunning synergy in the Back Lane Café - George Monsour.

“Oh George, you must be a chef at heart – what a beautiful kitchen!”

“No,” says Monsour with a smile “I’m not a chef at heart, I’m a dishwasher.  I designed that kitchen for the dishwasher.”

With two big windows on either side, easy access to the line, the racks and the prep-kitchen I see his point.  Being at this dish pit is almost like being at home, looking out into the backyard.

Because not everyone gets to step into the kitchen, ending this post with a mini photo tour and much thanks to the men & women in white under Chef Evan Pritchard; Jonas, Martin, Jason, bread baker John and dishwasher Tyler.  Plus a taste of Pastry Chef Charlotte Burpree-Dagenais’ signature dessert; the Pick-me-up Chocolate Bar (walnuts, dulce de leche, espresso ganache, between two layers of shortbread, covered in dark chocolate) - we wants one.

Ottawa, go enjoy the ambience, the food and the service in a welcome homage to back lane living.

Back Lane Café, 1087 Wellington St. W., 613-695-2999

One last kick at summer, a simple, elegant execution for the last of the season’s peaches.

When courting inspiration, other raving foodies are great source of interesting ideas. This sweet/savoury tart compliments of Summer of Eggplant, featured on Food 52’s Peach Pie vs. Tart Smackdown earlier this month.

Shout out to Morgan, the Atlanta based Foodista behind Summer of Eggplant, for an interesting combination of flavours; the peach, lemon, goat-cheese and basil worked well together and made for a beautiful brunch.  Whipped it up in the Gypsy Kitchen and trotted it around the neighbourhood, am now very popular.

The beauty of a gallette is it's rustic, rough appeal.  Even those ‘pasty-challenged’ can manage a gallete and do it well.  Love the lemon zest with the pasty, an effortless, but appealing idea for any Pate Brisee.  The good news is; you’ll have enough pastry for another application. (You know what they say about practice.)

Including the Peach-Basil-Goat Cheese Galette recipe with a couple of little tweaks from the Gypsy Kitchen:

This tart was even better the second day, after the basil had time to infuse in the ricotta/goat cheese filling.  Suggesting that you mix the goat cheese filling a day ahead (along with the pastry), if you have time.  This will allow it to mellow overnight to amplify the flavours, bringing the basil to the forefront.

Rather than add the fresh basil to the peaches and bake it in the oven, topped the warm tart with it instead, for an earthy, aromatic finish. This means you have to eat the whole thing immediately.  Such... hardship!

Enjoy.

Peach-Basil-Goat Cheese Galette Recipe
(adapated from Summer of Eggplant)

Prep time: 1 hour
Vooking time: 30 - 35 minutes

Ingredients:

Pate Brisee (adapted from the Bouchon cookbook)

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup cold, unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 cup ice water
1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest
flour, as needed

Goat Cheese Filling

¼ cup goat cheese
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Peach Topping

3 - 4 large, firm peaches, skins removed (approximately 2 cups)
1 teaspoon sugar
juice of half a lemon
1 egg white beaten (egg wash)
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

Method:

Make the dough and goat cheese filling a day ahead.

1. Dough: Place 1 cup flour in salt in standing mixer with dough hook attachment, turn on low and add the butter in a handful at a time, in about 4 batches, increase to medium speed.  
2. When butter is incorporated, stop machine, scrape down sides or dislodge dough from mixing arm.  Turn on to low again and slowly add in remaining flour, followed by the water, mix until just incorporated.
3. Remove and divide in to two, wrap one disk in plastic wrap and freeze for later use.
4. Return the other half to the mixer and add in the lemon zest, turn on low until just incorporated.
5. Shape in to a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

1. Goat cheese filling:  Using a mixer combine the goat cheese, ricotta, egg & sugar.  Fold in basil.
2. Reserve in fridge overnight if you have time, if not, make day of.

Day of: pre-heat oven to 375*

1. Peaches:  Boil a small pot of water.  Score an ‘X’ in the bottom of each peach place them in boiling water, turn off the heat, put the lid on and let them stand in the hot water for 2 minutes.  Place in an ice water bath to cool.  Pently remove skins from peaches.
2. Slice the peaches in quarters, slice in to 1/8” slices and place in a bowl, toss with sugar, lemon juice.

1. Pastry: Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 10’-12” in diameter, place on parchment on a baking sheet.
2. Spread cheese mixture in the center of the dough staying clear of the outer 1.5”.  Arrange peaches on top of cheese.
3. Roughly fold over the edges and brush with the egg wash.
4. Bake at 375* for 30 -35 minutes.
5.  Remove from oven let cool on the baking sheet on wire rack. (Take care when transferring it to a plate or cutting board, the pastry is very flaky.)

Finish warm tart with fresh basil and... consume immediately .  Invite the neighbours.

Oh peaches, how I will miss you...