I think it’s safe to say that I’ve been cooking for the better part of my lifetime, and in those years, I’ve learned many things. For example, I now know never to buy tomatoes in winter because they are always disappointing, I always have a well stocked pantry in case of dinner emergencies, and I’ve resigned to the fact that cooling cookies on the counter with a large dog in the house is usually a recipe for disaster.

Another thing I’ve learned is that when you end up with a surplus of vegetables (or fruits for that matter) one of the best things you can do is throw them into a galette and call it a day. I’m always a fan of pie in general, but galettes are like the easiest version of pie - there’s no pie pan, no blind baking, no latticing, and perhaps most important to a crust lover like myself, I find that the crust to filling ratio in a galette is far superior to any pie.

The reason I bring all this up is because once again, we found ourselves with a huge mess of CSA greens, and of course the obvious solution was to throw them into a galette. Delving into my well stocked fridge and pantry (I told you this was important!) I came up with creamy whole milk ricotta, a bit of salty parmesan, plenty of green garlic, and some walnuts. I knew this was going to work out wonderfully. We made short work of all those greens, and in the most delicious way possible. Galettes for the win once again.

Greens and Ricotta Galette

Serves about 4

1 ¼ cup flour
2 Tbsp cornmeal
½ tsp salt
6 Tbsp cold butter
2 Tbsp ice water
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 stalks green garlic, finely chopped (if you can’t find green garlic, sub 4 chopped scallions instead)
½ lb hearty greens, tough stems removed and roughly chopped (spinach, kale, turnip greens, collard greens or a mix work well here)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp salt
¾ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
⅓ cup walnut pieces
1 egg, beaten
Chive flowers for garnish (optional)

1. Make the crust: Combine the flour, cornmeal, and salt in a medium bowl, mixing until well combined. Cut the butter into very small pieces and mix in using your hands or two forks until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water, and mix until a cohesive ball of dough is formed. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 20 minutes before working it further.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. While the dough chills, get to work making the filling. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat, and once hot, add the green garlic. Cook green garlic, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.

4. Add the greens, stirring until they are well cooked down and tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the apple cider vinegar, crushed red pepper, and salt stirring well, and cook 1 minute more. Remove greens from heat.

5. Remove dough from the fridge and roll out on a well-floured surface until you have a large circle approximately 12 inches in diameter. Transfer dough to your lined baking sheet.

6. Spread the ricotta cheese evenly into the center of the dough circle, leaving about a 3 inch border around the edges. Top evenly with the parmesan and cooked greens.

7. Fold up the edges of the dough around the filling, and sprinkle the top evenly with the walnuts. Brush beaten egg on all exposed areas of the crust. Bake at 375 degrees until crust is golden browned, about 25-30 minutes.

8. Remove from oven, and sprinkle the top with fresh chive flowers if desired. Cool slightly, then cut into slices and serve.