Galette with Fennel, Mushrooms, Scamorza & Ricotta

The Journal is a place for everything that inspires. Recipes, people, places, music — stories not meant to be consumed quickly, but returned to again and again. Like a notebook in the kitchen or a book resting on the coffee table. This galette is the beginning.

It isn’t a complicated dish, but one that asks for time and attention. The dough is shaped by hand, imperfect, intuitive. Fennel and mushrooms add depth and a gentle earthiness, while ricotta and scamorza turn it into something comforting. A recipe for a slow early evening, when the table is still empty and the oven gently warms the room.

I’m drawn to recipes that leave room for interpretation. Ones you adapt depending on what’s at hand. Dishes that look beautiful, but above all taste delicious. And that remind us that pleasure often lies in simple things — good ingredients, honest craftsmanship, and beautiful moments around the table.

Cut the butter into roughly 1 cm cubes and place them in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Add the flour, salt and frozen butter cubes to a large bowl. Work the butter into the flour with your hands by rubbing it between your fingers until a sand-like texture forms.

Add the white wine vinegar and cold water. Bring everything together into a dough.

Press the dough into a flat disc, place it on a plate and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. You can also prepare it a day in advance.

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.

Add the finely sliced fennel and fry on both sides until soft and lightly caramelised. Carefully lift the slices out of the pan and set aside.

If needed, add a little more olive oil to the pan. Sauté the shallots and finely chopped garlic until translucent. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until tender and golden.

Deglaze with white wine and let it cook off completely. Season with salt and pepper.

Allow the mixture to cool completely.

In a bowl, combine the ricotta, freshly grated Parmesan and the juice of half a lemon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 200°C conventional heat (or 180°C fan).

Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle about 30 cm in diameter. Transfer it to a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Spread the ricotta mixture over the dough, leaving a border of about 4 cm around the edges. Top with thinly sliced scamorza.

Now arrange the mushroom mixture and fennel slices on top, alternating between them.

Fold the edges of the dough loosely over the filling, gently overlapping as you go – naturally, imperfectly.

Brush the pastry edge with beaten egg.

Bake the galette for about 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.

Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. It is best served slightly warm – perhaps on a simple ceramic plate, with a glass of white wine on the side.