Red Pepper & Baked Egg Galettes

Sweet and savory galettes are slowly becoming my favorite dish to make and serve when I have company. Depending on the seasons and tastes of the guests, I can always count on the galettes to deliver something delicious and pleasing. These red pepper and baked egg galettes from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem are somewhat different. They are part of a meze, a selection of small dishes, served as appetizers in the Middle East. Nonetheless, they are delectable and inviting all the same.

Ottolenghi chooses puff pastry — contrasting it with the red peppers and an egg in the center of a single-serve galette. The pastry is flaky and buttery. Who wouldn’t want that? Besides, the galette is stunning to look at. It literally jumps out of the page in Jerusalem begging to be baked. Starting with the store-bought pastry dough, making the galette is quite simple.

You can substitute the egg with feta or other young and salty white cheese, according to Ottolenghi. To me, an egg is a welcome part of any meal, if I have my way. However, if you are not eating the galette straightaway, cheese is a fantastic option.

A big plus for the red pepper and baked egg galettes is the short ingredient list. Other than what the title suggests (red pepper and egg), you only need onions, puff pastry and sour cream. The rest are just the everyday spices and herbs: thyme sprigs, ground coriander, ground cumin, parsley leaves, cilantro leaves; and olive oil. Take what’s fresh from the garden or available in the fridge. Why not make the galettes seasonal and personal?

The key challenge is with the puff pastry. Unless you’re familiar with the brand of puff pastry you’re using, be mindful to check for the manufacturer’s recommendation on baking temperature and time. It’s often tricky to get the desirable doneness for every component on the galette: red peppers, the egg, the pastry shell and all. Mine turns out a little under-baked, especially in the center of the galette. Meanwhile, the red peppers and onions are turning deeply browned on the edges. I’d say — err on the side of overbaking the galettes.

Print Recipe

Red Pepper & Baked Egg Galettes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 medium red bell peppers, halved and cut into 3/8 inch strips
• 3 small onions, halved and cut into 3/4 inch wedges
• fresh sprigs of thyme, leaves picked and chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 6 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish
• 1 1/4 tbsp fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
• 9 oz/ 250g best quality all-butter puff pastry
• 4 large fresh eggs plus 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 2 tbsp/ 30g sour cream
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 400°F.

2

Mix together the pepper, onions, thyme leaves, ground spices, olive oil and a good pinch of salt in a bowl. Transfer and spread them out on a baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, stirring and rearranging the veggies a few times. The vegetables should be soft and sweet but not too crisp or brown, as they will cook further. Remove from the oven.

3

Turn the oven temperature up to 425°F.

4

Sprinkle the veggies with half the fresh herbs and set aside.

5

Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until it reaches a 12x12 inch square. Cut into four 6 inch squares. Transfer to two parchment or silpat lined baking sheets.

6

Use a dull knife and score a 1/4 inch frame around each square of pastry. Don't cut all the way through. Prick the squares all over with the tines of a fork. Leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

7

Remove the pastry from the fridge and brush all over with a beaten egg. Spread 1/2 tbsp of sour cream over each square.

8

Arrange 3 tbsp of the pepper mixture on top of the sour cream-topped square, leaving the borders clear to rise with a shallow depression in the center for the egg later on.

9

Bake the galette for about 10-15 minutes until the pastry is rising and the pepper mixture starts to brown.

10

Remove from the oven. Carefully crack a whole egg into the well in the center of each pastry.

11

Return to the oven and bake for another 7 minutes until the egg is set.

12

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the remaining herbs. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Notes

Adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi