food to glow

This recipe is super flexible – use different vegetables, a different herb oil – or even some bought pesto slaked with a little oil. Even a different dough if phyllo doesn’t do it for you. In fact, why not use this recipe for my sweet galette dough – just leave out the sugar and spice.

Measures are very approximate for this kind of recipe but will give you a good ballpark figure to aim for if you need it. Otherwise, use your own instinct for amounts of vegetables and squeaky, minty cheese.

6 sheets from one pack of phyllo pastry {usually contains 12 sheets}, halved with a knife to make it into squares – keep covered with a damp tea towel

80ml {1/3 cup} extra virgin olive oil, divided use  – you may need more or less

cupped handful of green beans, trimmed and halved or in thirds

1/3 medium aubergine {or a whole small, Japanese one}, sliced into thin rounds and then halved {half moons}

1/2 red pepper, diced {make slices to form hearts if you wish}

cupped handful of broccoli, sliced into thin lengths about 4-5 inches long

cupped handful of radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced

6 spring onions/scallions, trimmed and sliced

1/3 cup oil-marinated artichoke heart quarters

palmful of stoned black olives {oil-cured} – torn

1 heaped tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus extra for garnishing

1/2 pack of halloumi cheese – about 100 grams, thinly sliced and torn

Extra virgin olive oil {evoo} – to oil the pastry {if using phyllo}

Herb Drizzle/Pesto

20g {1/3 cup} pumpkin seeds

20g {packed 3/4 cup} each of fresh basil and parsley

1/2 garlic clove {or leave out if you like – nudge, nudge}, finely minced

Squirt of fresh lemon

Evoo, from amount stated above

Salt, to taste if needed – or nutritional yeast

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.

1. Blanch the green beans in boiling water for three minutes. Drain, rinse well with cold water to stop the cooking, and drain again. Set aside for now.

2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the aubergine slices in a single layer and sauté until golden on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and onto some layers of paper towel.

3. Add more oil to the pan if you need to {I don’t} followed by the pepper, broccoli, radishes, spring onions and thyme leaves. Saute, stirring frequently, until softened.

4. Now to get on with the phyllo. Divide the phyllo into piles of 6-8 square sheets, then place one sheet from each pile on each tray. Take another and place it slightly offset to the first. Carry on with the remaining sheets {see image}.

Put one-quarter of the torn halloumi cheese in the inner two-thirds of the pastry stacks. Top with all of the cooked vegetables {remember the beans}, the olives and the artichoke hearts. Scatter over the remaining cheese. 

5. With the flat of your hand push the pastry up around the filling to just form a lip of sorts {see image}. Brush oil on the visible edges. Pop the galettes in the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden in places and the pastry feels cooked and firm underneath.

6. While the galette is baking, blend the basil and parsley, seeds and garlic. Stir in the remaining oil and lemon juice. Taste and see if you wish to add salt.

7. Serve the galettes warm with a good drizzle of herb oil and a squirt of lemon over the top, if liked. A sharp green salad goes well with it.