Happy Thanksgiving!
It's a Food Party! for all this week. Enjoy running around and getting back into the kitchen. Chef sez, "Remember to keep your knife sharp by honing it after every half hour of cutting time."
If you are looking for a vegetarian option for your main dish - here's an idea.
Sage Pumpkin Galette w/ Spiced Pepitas & Vegan Jerky
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 red onion, sliced thin and caramelized
1 (2# or so) kabocha squash, peeled, seeded and sliced 1?4-inch thick
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese – buy the best, freshest ricotta you can find, or make your own. 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
Dry Monterey Jack cheese, grated
Gluten-free Date Galette Dough
Elaine’s Spiced Pepitas
Vegan Jerky (or your favorite) grated fine
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix kabocha squash with olive oil, salt and pepper, put single-layer on a baking sheet, and bake covered with foil for 15 minutes. Remove cover and bake till tender, 5 – 10 minutes more. Cool.

Roll galette dough out into a 14” round on lightly floured surface. Transfer to baking sheet covered with parchment. Cover with ricotta, then squash, onions, sage leaves.

Sprinkle with grated Jack cheese. Fold the pastry over and on top on squash.

Bake 35 – 40 minutes until crust is browned. And ta da....


Transfer to wire rack to cool. Garnish with Elaine’s Spiced Pepitas and grated jerky-of-choice.

Elaine’s Spiced Pepitas
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
Combine above ingredients. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in pan or iron skillet to medium heat. Add 1 cup pumpkin seeds and stir to coat. When seeds start to puff, add spice mixture and toast until light brown.

Gluten-free Date Galette Dough
1.5 cups all-purpose GF flour (I’m experimenting with Blends by Orly), or substitute all purpose flour
2 teaspoons date sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cold, cubed unsalted butter
Whirl together flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse into pea-size pieces. Drizzle 1/3’rd cup very cold water over crumbs and pulse just until moistened. Add additional 1 – 2 tablespoons of water as needed. Turn dough onto a work surface and gather into a ball, turning to pick up crumbs. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for one hour.
Eating turkey this year?
Consider a trusted humane label, such as American Humane Certified™, and help ensure a better life for the nation’s farm animals.
Shop farmers market this holiday
The Portola Valley Farmers Market is open this Wednesday from 2PM - 5 PM. There will be crab (!) cleaned, not cooked $7/lb and bread, pies, turkeys, veggies, fruits etc.
And Finally...
- a great holiday reminder from 2012, not sure the source.
