There are certain foods I just want everyone to love. Mushrooms, eggplant, and artichokes are at the top of the list (aside from the givens that don’t meet much resistance like tomatoes and strawberries). Sure, I get it, everyone has foods that they’re particular about.

Mine? Parsley, asparagus, and strong stinky cheeses. Yes yes, I know…parsley doesn’t taste much like anything, asparagus is a treat, and cheese is…well, cheese, in all its buttery, creamy glory.

I’ll eat parsley and asparagus (mostly because I know they’re really good for me), but can we please agree to keep parsley garnishes whole and not finely diced? Ok, great.  And I’ll try any cheese once (especially when pressured by the French), but I assure you, I have tried Camembert like that one, and alas, still not my jam.

But can we all be on board with mushrooms (or give ‘em a shot)? ‘Cause you’ve never had a mushroom dish like this. This is not a drill.

Added bonus? You get to sound fancy when you casually say you’ve whipped up a Mushroom Galette. Galette…French just always sounds so elegant. “I’ll have the freeform savory pie”? No….I’ll have the galette s’il vous plaît.

You could absolutely serve this Mushroom Chard Galette at a nice dinner party or an afternoon ladies luncheon, but hey, a random Tuesday night would be rad too. You do you.

Here’s what I did:

Mushroom Chard Galette

*adapted from Bon Appétit

For the whole wheat crust

Whisk together:

• 2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. salt

Cut in (either with a pastry cutter, two knives, or a food processor):

• ¾ c. (1½ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Mix together until it resembles a course meal with butter pieces the size of peas.

Mix in until the dough looks shaggy:

• 1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup ice water

Add more water if needed, and kneed lightly until there are no dry spots. Form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

For the galette

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat over a medium flame:

• 2 Tbs. olive oil

Add:

• 6 oz. maitake mushrooms, torn, and crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• Salt & pepper

Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and slightly crisp – about 8 minutes.

Add to the mushrooms:

• 1 garlic clove, finely diced
• 1 bunch large Swiss chard, ribs and stems removed, leaves cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• 2 tsp. dried parsley
• Salt & pepper

Cook, stirring occasionally, until completely wilted. (If the chard won’t fit in your pan, start by adding half until it cooks down and then add the remaining chard.)

Roll out dough on a floured surface to a round about ⅛” thick. Roll the dough onto your rolling pin to help you transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Mix together:

• 1 c. ricotta
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Spread the ricotta mixture over the dough, leaving a 2” border. Top with the mushroom and chard mixture. Bring the edges of the dough up over the filling, overlapping a little with each fold. Brush the exposed dough with:

• 1 large egg, beaten

Bake the galette until the crust is golden brown, about 35-40 minutes.

Top the baked galette with:

• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• Flaky sea salt

Enjoy as a side or main dish – sure to impress!

French phrase for fun:

Bonjour, excusez-moi, où est la bibliothèque?

Hello, excuse me, where is the library ?