As swanky New Year’s Eve parties are somewhat unachievable this year, I thought I’d come up with a simple but delicious way to see out 2020. Maybe also to line our stomachs as the champagne can still flow even if we’re in our pyjamas!
Jump to RecipeGalettes are a great party food, starter, or any other excuse I can think of to eat pastry, really. They look impressive, are completely versatile and there’s basically only one cooking instruction: the oven temperature/cooking time.
Tips and Tricks
I have absolutely zero shame in my love for store-bought pastry. Preferably pre-rolled. Who really has the time to make their own puff and roll it out to stunning perfection?!
The flavours here can be easily adjusted – leave out the fennel entirely if you can’t get your hands on it. Switch out the rhubarb for a couple of sweet potatoes. A galette can very easily be prepared in advance – simply build and keep in the fridge for up to 8 hours – if preparing for longer than the suggested 10 minutes, do cover in some Clingfilm to prevent any drying out.
Same goes with the wine. I went for a chardonnay to pair the woody flavour with the rhubarb but if you’ve only got a bottle of sauvignon as that’s what you drink? Go for that instead! Perhaps add an extra pinch of black pepper.
If you are thinking of this recipe as a party option, simply divide your pastry sheets into smaller squares and go for individual galettes. They look just as impressive, if not dead cute!
New Year’s Eve Rhubarb Galette
Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 2 Puff pastry sheets I use store-bought; 10 inch square; gluten-free if needed.
- 6 Rhubarb stems Any leafy bits removed
- 2 Fennel bulbs One fist sized or two smaller bulbs
- 1/4 cup White wine I use chardonnay for the woody pairing
- 6 Fresh thyme stalks Substitute dried if necessary; avoid rosemary as it is overwhelming, flavour-wise
- 2 tbsp Milk (whole) Substitute: 1 beaten egg
- Salt & pepper
Optional
- 1 tsp Poppy seeds
- 1/4 cup Feta
- 1 tbsp Tapioca starch Substitute: cornstarch; flour
Instructions
Prep.
- Preheat your oven to 200C/390F fan / 220C/430F / Gas Mark 7.
- Chop rhubarb and fennel into batons of approximately 2 inches long, 1/2 inch thick – no worries if the fennel is a little uneven due to its shape.
- In a mixing bowl, toss the rhubarb and fennel in a little salt and pepper and the tapioca. Add the white wine and some whole thyme stems, toss to combine and set aside. Turn occasionally to continue to season.
- Meanwhile, remove 2 pastry sheets from the freezer, place them on a sheet of parchment paper and wait a few minutes until they are a little relaxed and pliable.
Build.
- Pull the thyme stems out and set aside.
- To construct, spoon your veggies mixture evenly into the centre of both pastry sheets; drizzle the wine/juices over each bundle of veg. Gently pull the corners and sides of the pastry sheets slightly up and over the edge of the veggies to create a round(-ish) shape.
- Top with the thyme stems and place both galettes into the fridge for ten minutes or until you are ready to bake.
Bake.
- Remove one or both galettes from the fridge and lightly brush the pastry with milk or egg wash. If using, sprinkle the poppy seeds around the pastry.
- Bake on parchment paper for 40 minutes, turning at 20 minutes. If using, at the 20 min. mark, also dice some feta – you can either top the galette now for a darker flavour, or add fresh at the end of the bake for a fresher taste.
- Remove from the oven (add the feta if you wish) and set aside to cool for a couple of minutes before carefully slicing into segments.
We would love to hear what you think of our dish.
Please leave a comment below, or if you’ve given this or another dish a whirl, please tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest so we can see your hard work!
