People sometimes talk about Thanksgiving in terms of pacing and endurance: “it’s a marathon and not a sprint.” You need to plan accordingly.
Those hours of prep-time are crucial—and so is the time between when everyone arrives and start reaching to snack off your prep-station and the carving of the Turkey. Here’s a pre-dinner dish suggestion that can keep hungry hands at bay and provide just enough sustenance to power some casual ball-tossing—or cool tempers through political banter—without spoiling everyone’s appetite: a savory galette.
While it looks complicated, it can take on elements of side dishes already in the works. Double up your pie dough recipe and set some aside. Pull some greens from your side-dishes. (I used Swiss Chard, but you could go with collards or leeks or something un-green like mushrooms, if you like.) Place it in the oven on a rack below the turkey—before you need the space for those sweet potatoes. Add some protein: put an egg on it! Then, move the whole shebang away from the kitchen, on a cutting board with a pizza wheel, remind everyone to pace herself.
Swiss Chard Slab Galette with Eggs (Adapted from Food52)
You’ll Need:
3 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Large white onion
2 Cloves garlic
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
2 bunches of devined Swiss chard
Galette dough [Confession—I used store-bought pastry dough for this iteration, to save on time. You could do the same! But my favorite crust recipe for a savory dish like this is a salt-and-pepper one, once found in a Sunset magazine. ]
1 Cup fresh ricotta
1 Cup grated Gruyère (or similar Swiss cheese)
4–6 medium eggs
Prep the filling: Combine the onions and olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté until the onions brown a bit—about 10 minutes. While they cook, remove the stems from and wash your swiss chard, and chop your garlic. Roll out your pastry dough into thin rectangle—ideally about the size of a jelly-roll pan. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add the garlic and chard to the onions and cover, if possible. Let the greens cook down for about 4 or 5 minutes, flipping once. Season to taste and remove from heat.
Spread a thin layer of ricotta and top with filling. Sprinkle with thyme. (I like to reserve some for garnish, too.)
Add up to a cup of grated gruyère on top, and place in oven for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and crack desired number of eggs directly on top.
Return to oven and cook for desired doneness. 6 minutes should be just right, but you can add another minute if desired.
Set out with pizza wheel to serve. Enjoy! (And happy holiday!)
What is your pre-dinner-dish of choice before a holiday meal?
This post is sponsored by the American Egg Board, with whose support I’ll be sharing some of my favorite ways to prepare eggs. Share (and find) favorite recipes on social with the hashtag #recipeEggchange.
Since 2009, the Good Egg Project and America’s egg farmers have partnered with quality organizations such as Sesame Street, Discovery Health and Feeding America to help educate Americans on the farm to table process. America’s egg farmers are committed to doing what’s right for their hens, the environment and their communities. They are proud to provide Americans with affordable and nutritious food.
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