Deb Perelman's Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette

This is  a recipe from the cookbook that is new to my bookshelf, The Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perelman. I served this savoury galette at a recent brunch to rave reviews. Christine ate half of it. I think she liked it.

Interestingly, the flavour of the squash was good even though it was not entirely ripe. Why did I use an unripe vegetable you might ask? It's because I get flustered by people who sell gourds, alright? Let's leave it at that.

Ingredients:

• a 2.5 pound butternut squash
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1and 1/2 teaspoons salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups of grated fontina cheese
• 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh sage (I used dry sage and it seemed to work) 
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon of water for the pastry glaze
• a single pie crust ( see recipe on this blog under the label 'Pastry") 

First prepare the squash. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and seed the squash, then cut it into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes. Toss it in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in the oven in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes or until the squash is tender, turning occasionally to ensure even browning. Set aside to cool but leave the oven on. 

While the squash is roasting, melt the butter and the remaining tablespoon of oil in a heavy skillet and cook the onions over medium low heat with the sugar and the remaining teaspoon of salt, stirring occasionally until soft and tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the cayenne pepper if you're using it.

Mix the squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl. To assemble the galette, roll the dough out to a 16 inch round. Transfer the rolled dough to a parchment covered baking sheet. Spread the squash, cheese and onion mixture over the centre of the circle of dough leaving a 2 to 2 and 1/2 inch border.

Fold the border over the filling, pleating the dough to make it fit. The centre will be open. Brush the outside of the crust with the egg yolk wash and bake until golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. This can be served warm or at room temperature.