Does the word “cabbage” inspire thoughts of culinary greatness? No? I didn’t think so. This galette will change how you think of cabbage. Tangy, hearty and yet almost silky in texture, a cabbage and mushroom filling gets wrapped in an amazingly flaky pastry crust for a meal that’s much more impressive than the title implies.

This is the second Smitten Kitchen vegetarian recipe I’ve adulterated with bacon. (The first was this soup.) Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against vegetarian recipes, but we had a lot of bacon. The original recipe also called for a chopped hard-boiled egg in the filling, which I skipped because we were out of eggs. Next time, I think I’ll crack an egg onto the center of the galette during the last 5 minutes of baking.

I see myself making this crust often in the future – in addition to savory dinners, I think it will be delicious for a peach or apricot galette. Maybe with some sweetened ricotta, too? I’d already started making this recipe when I realized I didn’t bring a rolling pin with me in the Minnie; luckily my Klean Kanteen water bottle did the trick!

Cabbage and Mushroom Galette
Adapted from the Smitten Kitchen

For the crust
1 ¼ C flour

¼ tsp salt

8 Tbs (1 stick) cold butter, cut into pieces

1/4 C sour cream

2 tsp sherry vinegar

1/4 C ice water

For the filling
4 slices bacon

2 large shallots, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced

2 tsp fresh thyme

1 tsp marjoram

6 C thinly sliced cabbage (or a mix of cabbage and other greens such as kale or beet greens)

½ C water

salt and freshly milled pepper

¼ C sour cream

1 tsp sherry vinegar

2 Tbs melted butter

1. Make pastry:  In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Chill flour in the freezer for 30 min to 1 hour. (Extra-cold butter and flour is the secret to extra-flaky crusts.) Remove the bowls from the freezer. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, vinegar and water. Make another well in the center of the flour mixture add half the liquids to the well. With a fork (or your fingertips) mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. Pat the lumps into a ball. Don’t overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Prepare the filling: In a medium skillet, cook the bacon until crispy over medium heat. Remove bacon and chop. Add the onion, mushrooms, and herbs to the bacon fat and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the cabbage, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook slowly until the cabbage is tender, 15 to 20 minutes, turning it occasionally. Add more liquid if necessary. When tender, uncover and raise the heat to evaporate any excess moisture. The mixture should be fairly dry. Stir in the chopped bacon and sour cream. Season with vinegar and taste for salt and pepper.

3. Assemble galette: Preheat the oven to 400° F. Roll the dough into a large thin circle and set it on the back of a sheet pan or cookie sheet. The edges will hang over the sides. Add the filling, making a mound 7 to 8 inches across, then fold the edges over and brush with the melted butter. Pour any extra butter into the vegetables. Bake until browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.