Za'atar Zucchini and Mascarpone Slab Galette

The perfect recipe for all the zucchinis available this time of year, Za'atar Zucchini and Mascarpone Slab Galette... we made this at our big family dinner the other night and even the meat lovers were coming back for seconds. We love the flaky, buttery cornmeal crust (it actually has flavor!), and the creamy mascarpone paired with toasted spices and zucchini make a wonderfully delicious dish. We used cornmeal that was made of local, multi-colored corn leading to the speckles in the dough. Only the dough needs to spend some time in the fridge (for at least an hour or overnight) to ensure the butter that you've rolled into the dough is chilled when you bake it. This leads to a delicious, flaky crust. Enjoy!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mascarpone
• 1 cup grated cheddar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon milk or cream
• 2 zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 tablespoon SKORDO Syrian Za'atar
• 1/2 cup feta, crumbled
• sea salt and black pepper

For the cornmeal pastry:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3-2/3 cup ice-cold water

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375º F
2. In a small bowl, combine the mascarpone and cheddar.
3. In a separate bowl, prepare an egg wash by whisking the egg yolk and milk or cream.
4. Place the cornmeal dough (see recipe below) in the center of a large sheet of parchment paper.
5. Using a cornmeal-dusted rolling pin, roll it out into a rectangle about 12 x 16 inches.

1. Once happy with size and shape of dough, transfer the parchment paper with the dough onto a large baking sheet.
2. Spread a thin layer of mascarpone mix over the dough.
3. Lay out the zucchini rounds on top, then sprinkle zucchini with Za'atar, salt, and pepper. 
4. Fold the edges of the dough inward over the filling, pinching together any tears in the dough.

1. Brush egg wash over the exposed crust and scatter feta over the whole slab.
2. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until crust is evenly browned. 
3. Slide galette onto a serving board and allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
4. Cut galette into pieces and serve with a scatter of parsley, if you like.

For cornmeal pastry:

1. Add flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt to a mixing bowl.
2. Mix on low speed until combined
3. Add chilled butter, continue mixing on low until butter is evenly distributed but still in large pieces.
4. Add olive oil and mix briefly.
5. Add 1/3 cup ice-cold water and continue to mix, dough will start to form.
6. Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until dough comes together.
7. Place the dough on a piece of plastic wrap.
8. Roughly shape the dough into a rectangle, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.

 Recipe Credit: Hetty McKinnon