RUSTIC APPLE GALETTE RECIPE WITH THYME

One thing you should know-I’m not a baker. So if you are thinking that you aren't either, keep reading because you HAVE to try this. I just don’t enjoy cooking in the oven, I prefer cooking over a fire (which really means a grill) and hanging outside with the guys. But, this is so easy that even I can do it. I make this pie crust ALL the time for sweet and savory desserts or pot pies. I’m more of a savory girl, as you know. To my palate EVERYTHING tastes better with chopped herbs from my kitchen garden.

Another roadblock to baking- 6^th grade home economics.  Making pie crust by cutting butter with 2 forks chopping butter into those TINY pieces. I SO didn’t love it! I didn't think I would ever make a pie.  But, alas!  I found a quick crust using olive oil (my favorite staple) and it’s also vegan for those of you out there! This crust is so easy and delicious. It’s inspired from my friends at Winterhill  in Placerville.

One of my favorite things about cooking is using my hands. I like to feel the textures and build an intuitive sense. A nice heavy duty wooden spoon will do too and I use one in this recipe.

Baking spices! Yum!  These are some of my favorite flavors this time of year. I like to add them all and I very specifically will only use fresh ground nutmeg since it was introduced to me.

Putting together this recipe makes me giggle because it mirrors my winemaking process in a funny way. It starts out simple,-like apple pie. But, it becomes uniquely my own by carefully choosing a process that fits my taste and style. My winemaking and recipes have a lot of intention and I love sharing it with you so you can create these easy recipes in your home.

Additions:

Olive oil crust

2 C all-purpose flour

1 C Meyer lemon Winterhill olive oil

8 T ice water

1 T champagne vinegar

dash of salt

Pie

4 apples, mix of granny smith, fuji, and red delicious. Thinly sliced.

2/3 C sugar

3 T lemon juice and zest

1 T cinnamon

1 T fresh ground nutmeg

1 T fresh ground cardamom

2 thyme sprigs, leaves removed

1/2 C Quadrello cheese, grated

Protocol:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Prepare the apples by mixing with the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg.

For the crust: Mix olive oil, water, vinegar, and salt. Add flour and stir with a large wooden spoon until dough forms and completely mixed. Divide the dough into 2 balls. Roll each ball out between two pieces of wax paper. Remove the top paper and place the dough side onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Place the cheese in the center of the dough. Scatter thyme leaves over the cheese. Add the apple mixture. Wrap the dough around the apple mixture until the edge is sealed.

Cook at 425 for 20 minutes. Turn oven down to 350 and cook for an additional 30 minutes. You may need to cover the top with foil if the apples start to brown. Top with fresh leaves of thyme. And more cheese if you wish.

Winemaker’s Notes:

To be honest, I’ve been enjoying homemade hard cider lately with a cinnamon stick. I can’t resist the urge to ferment cider pressed from nearby farms.  I also love those baking spices that often match those in Roussanne, a delightfully spicy and rich wine. 

Cheers!

APPLE CIDER THYME FRENCH ONION AND VERMENTINO

I am finally settling into home after a weekend trip to Seattle where I attended an incredibly inspiring food photography workshop (can you tell?) and visited one of my best friends and her family. She is six months pregnant and needed some down time from her regular life as an attorney.

Her husband, the cook in the family and artsy architect, was eager to share some wine-and the cooking duties. I was thrilled to be in their newly renovated kitchen to cook something seasonal and comforting. Leaving the extended indian summer in California and landing in Seattle was just the inspiration that I needed for one of my favorite fall recipes. Insert kitchen assistant here! Just kidding, but it was awesome to have help with chopping the onions. Thanks E!

This recipe can be made gluten free and vegetarian without sacrificing the flavor. If you love traditional french onion soup, I would top your oven safe bowl with a piece of crusty bread. Then smother with cheese. Pop that in your hot little oven on broil for 3-4 minutes while you sip on the wine you just poured to go with it.

I like to allow the flavors to come together for as long as possible and practical. It's similar to aging wines to allow the components of the fermentation and the grape to harmonize before bottling. You don't have to wait tha-at long to eat dinner, but the best comes to those who wait. I will make the soup and allow it to sit for as long as I need -to do just a couple more things around the house. Then I heat it up one last time and sit down with a great glass of wine to enjoy.

ADDITIONS

5-6 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced in rings
4 C chicken broth
4 C fresh pressed apple cider
4 T butter
5-6 sprigs of Thyme
salt and pepper to taste
shaved gruyere to top



PROTOCOL

1. Melt butter in large stockpot

2. Add sliced onions and cover. Saute on medium heat until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

3. Add broth, cider and thyme and cover. Bring to simmer and heat for approximately 20- 30 minutes. The longer the thyme is infused, the more flavorful it will become.

4. Season with salt and pepper, remove the thyme sprigs.

5. Shave Gruyere on top and serve.

WINEMAKER'S NOTES:

October in Seattle reminded me of fall as a kid when the warm winds mixed with rainy showers gave life to the decomposing fall foliage (which I happen to think smells amazing! So I guess that's why I LOVE to use the description 'mushrooms from under [the forest floor] for wines that possess a unique earthy and spicy aroma). The thyme in this recipe hits similar notes that feel earthy and woodsy.

We enjoyed this recipe with a Vermentino from Italy. The crisp acidity in the wine complemented the slightly sweet soup. We found an inexpensive Vermentino in a local Seattle wine shop that was delightful. I love Vermentino because it has a very rich flavor from the skins, but remains crisp with lots of minerality. Perfect for this soup on an autumn day.

Cheers!