Before I start this post, I have to admit that I really had no part in making this. It was actually my mother’s creation from start to finish, but it turned out so well that I thought I’d share it with you (with her permission of course!).
My mom has been a vegetarian off and on basically her entire life and like me, prefers to make veggie-centric dishes when given the choice. Even though I basically avoided the kitchen my entire childhood and youth, somehow some of those philosophies transferred to me, although I’ve had to learn many of the vegetarian cooking techniques on my own–bad child Kelsey!
When exploring new techniques, having a plethora of cookbooks is a must. Luckily for me, my mom has about 50 of them for me to look through while I’m home visiting. As if I needed another thing to distract me! One of her favorite cookbooks is Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, basically the bible of vegetarian cooking.
According to the Amazon write-up,
What Julia Child is to French cooking, Deborah Madison is to vegetarian cooking—a demystifier and definitive guide to the subject. After her many years as a teacher and writer, she realized that there was no comprehensive primer for vegetarian cooking, no single book that taught vegetarians basic cooking techniques, how to combine ingredients, and how to present vegetarian dishes with style. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone teaches readers how to build flavor into vegetable dishes, how to develop vegetable stocks, and how to choose, care for, and cook the many vegetables available to cooks today. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is in every way Deborah Madison’s magnum opus, featuring 1,400 recipes suitable for committed vegetarians, vegans (in most cases), and everyone else who loves good food. For nonvegetarians, the recipes can be served alongside meat, fish, or fowl and incorporated into a truly contemporary style of eating that emphasizes vegetables and fruits for health and well-being.
The actual recipe calls for a pastry tart crust, but we used a savory yeasted tart crust shaped into a galette (also from Madison). Also, you have to roast the tomatoes and eggplant prior to adding to the galette–don’t be too grossed out if the eggplant looks all grey and mushy, it’s supposed to, I promise!
Thanks for the recipe Mom!
Roasted Eggplant & Tomato Galette
Adapted from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
Serves 5-6
For the Yeasted Tart Dough:
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups flour
For the Filling:
1 pound eggplant
3 roma or plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped
2 tablespoons oregano, finely chopped
4-5 sprigs thyme
1/2 cup feta cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
Steps:
For the Yeasted Tart Dough:
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let sit until the mixture begins to bubble.
Next, add the oil, egg, and salt and mix before slowly stirring in the flour.
Stir with the spoon until the dough becomes too tough and then move to a counter to knead, adding more flour as necessary. Continue kneading until the dough becomes elastic, about 5 minutes.
Place the olive oil in a large bowl and then add the dough, turning it over to make sure both sides are coated with the oil. Cover with a damp towel and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour.
Punch the dough down and then remove from the bowl. In a pie pan, form into a free-form galette and add the filling below.
Time: 2.5-3 hours
