Spelt galette with shaved asapargus and mushrooms

I do not quite understand the fuss over asparagus. They are delicious raw (I must show you a salad with raw green asparagus), but it is very easy to overcook. Grilled. Oh yes, grilled are very good. And, today, baked in friction.

But… compared with fresh green beans? Or peas? Or my definitely beloved broad beans?

Asparagus are no match to all of tehm – for me it’s just the next stage of the spring. Still you can buy late “new greens”, but there is more and more early summer vegetables. And fruit – you can already buy our Polish strawberries!

Let’s enjoy asparagus until they are, because they are healthy, tasty and relatively cheap at this time of year.

Remember to choose firm twigs, and the tip should be slightly crackling in fingers.

Rinse asparagus under running water, and, instead of cut off the tip, bend the stalk in the fingers, and this will break at the point where the end of woodiness.

To galette we will use shaved asparagus, add the mushrooms stewed with asafoetida.

When I started to use asafoetida, I do not use onions anymore (aside moments when Almighty cut them for me). For me, it’s really a big relief, because I’m allergic to onion juice and asafoetida saved my life.

I will write again – asafoetida, is a dried latex (gum oleoresin) obtained from the rhizomes of Ferula (it’s also known as Devil’s dung or stinking gum). The Indian cuisine has adopted as a substitute for onions, in cases where the consumption of onions or garlic is prohibited by religious principles.

Asafoetida (sometimes called „hing”) can be purchased at online stores, sometimes (very rarely, in Poland at least), you can ind it in herbal stores. However, if you can not get it, here are some possible alternatives:

1. Garlic – one clove of garlic instead of 1 teaspoon of asafoetida. In this case, the flavor will be different, not so benign.
2. The onion powder – 1: 1
3. The garlic powder – 1: 1
4. Mix of garlic and onion powder – 0.5 tsp onion + 0.5 teaspoons of garlic
5. Leeks (shallots or chives) stewed with garlic – approx. 2 tablespoons, instead of 1 teaspoon of asafoetida

Point 5 and 4 give the most similar taste.

Preparation time: 15 minutes preparation + 25 minutes baking

Ingredients:

the dough:

40 grams of spelt flour

3 tablespoons firmly chilled coconut oil (can substitute butter or vegan margarine, or normal dairy ones)

3 tablespoons cold water

1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

Asparagus 5 – 6 stalks

30 grams of mushrooms

chives (optional)

1 teaspoon coconut oil

1 tsp asafoetida (replacements are listed in the post above)

1 teaspoon tamari (salt, soy sauce)

½ teaspoon white pepper

goat cheese (or vegan counterpart, can also be completely omitted)

Preparation:

Dough:

• Sift the flour into a bowl. Add salt and stir.
• Add the cold fat and mix with flour. We should get brittle, sand consistency.
• Pour cold water and quickly knead the dough. Do it very fast, to not warm up the dough.
• Ready dough wrap in cling film and put aside in the refrigerator for approx. 1 hour.
• 30 minutes prior to forming the galette, remove the dough from the refrigerator.
• Roll out the dough, forming a circle. Put on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Filling:

• Warm up the oven to 220C (428).
• Wash the mushrooms and cut into fairly thick slices.
• Heat up the oil in the pan and add the mushrooms. Fry for a few minutes, then add tamari, pepper and asafoetida. I we are using it, now it’s time or chives also.
• Fry mushrooms to complete evaporation of liquids.
• Rinse asparagus, discarding woody ends.
• Using vegetable peeler “shave” asparagus.
• Mix mushrooms with asparagus.
• Spread the filling on the dough, leaving approx. 2 – 3 cm off the edge.
• Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
• Wrap loose edge over the filling.
• Bake galette approx. 20 – 25 minutes.