I’ve never been a huge ricotta fan. I know it’s supposed to be bland, since it serves as a base for other flavors, but it usually leaves me wanting something with a little more oomph. So when I realized how much I liked Smitten Kitchen’s Zucchini and Ricotta Galette, I figured I could make one I liked even better if I replaced some of the ricotta with a slightly more flavorful cheese. Enter: mascarpone. A little creamier and with a more pronounced cheesy flavor, it fit the bill perfectly.
Zucchini Mascarpone Galette
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Serves 6
Hands-On Time: 45 min
Total Time: 1hr 30 min
Ingredients
Crust:
1 1/4 cups flour, chilled in freezer for 30 min
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup very cold water
Filling:
1 lb zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 TBS olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Make dough: Whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle butter pieces over flour and use your hands to combine until the pieces of butter are no larger than small peas. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, lemon juice and water and add to the butter-flour mixture. With your hands, combine until large lumps form. Gently pat the lumps into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for no longer than 20 minutes (remove to the fridge if you need more time to work).
Make filling: Spread the zucchini over two layers of paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let sit 30 min, and then blot the zucchini to remove water on the surface. In a small bowl, whisk olive oil and minced garlic together – set aside. In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, mascarpone, parmesan, mozzarella, and 1 tsp of olive oil mixture and add salt to taste.
Flour a large flat work surface (I like to lay down parchment paper and then flour to contain mess). Roll out the chilled dough into a 12-inch round.
On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Arrange the zucchini, with slices slightly overlapping, in concentric circles from the outside edge of the cheese mixture to the center. Evenly drizzle the remaining olive oil and garlic mixture over the zucchini. Gently fold the plain edge dough over the very edge of the zucchini circles, pleating to keep together as needed. Brush the exposed dough with the egg yolk/water mixture.
Bake the galette about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cheese has puffed up a little and the zucchini are slightly translucent. Remove from the oven, let cool for about 5 minutes, and then transfer carefully to a serving plate. Serve in wedges.
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