Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
Food

Ghughra Galette

By chef Hetal Vasavada, 18 Oct, 2019

    For dessert we would make ghughra, also known as gujiya (a hand pie) filled with a mixture of khoya (ground nuts and jaggery).

    Every year during Diwali, my mom and her sisters would come over to make a feast. For dessert we would make ghughra, also known as gujiya (a hand pie) filled with a mixture of khoya (ground nuts and jaggery). In the galette version, the pie crust is filled with a frangipane-like filling using the ingredients typically found in ghughra.

    Makes 1 (9-inch [23-cm]) galette

    Ingredients

    For the pie crust:

    • 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
    • 1½ tbsp (23 g) granulated sugar
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
    • 1 egg
    • ¼ cup (60 ml) milk, cold

    For the ghughra filling:

    • 2½ tbsp (24 g) raw almonds
    • 3 tbsp (27 g) raw shelled pistachios
    • 2½ tbsp (23 g) raw cashews
    • ⅓ cup (68 g) unsalted butter, softened
    • ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
    • 1 egg, lightly beaten, reserve a tablespoon (15 ml) to brush the pastry
    • ½ tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour
    • 1½ tbsp (16 g) semolina
    • Ice cream, fresh fruit or powdered sugar, for serving

    Preparation

    • To make the pie crust, mix the flour, granulated sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Add the butter and use your fingers to rub the butter and flour together until you get a wet-sandy texture. Add the egg and milk and use your hands to bring the dough together. Do not knead the dough too much, otherwise you’ll end up with a tough crust that isn’t flaky. Shape the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.
    • To make the ghughra filling, add the almonds, pistachios and cashews to a blender and blend until you have a sand-like powder. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk well. Stir in the nut powder, all-purpose flour and semolina. Set aside.
    • Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the dough on the baking sheet. Roll the pie crust out into an 11-inch (28-cm) circle that is ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Spoon the ghughra filling into the center of the pie crust and spread it into a thin layer, leaving a two-inch (5-cm) border of pie crust. Gently fold the edges of the crust over the filling.
    • Brush the pie crust with the reserved one tablespoon (15 ml) of beaten egg. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the temperature down to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. If the crust starts to brown too much, place a sheet of foil on top of the galette to prevent it from burning. Serve while warm or at room temperature with a big scoop of mango pista ice cream (page 19), fresh fruit or dusted with powdered sugar.

    Credit line: Reprinted with permission from Milk & Cardamom by Hetal Vasavada, Page Street Publishing Co. 2019. Photo credit: Hetal Vasavada.

    MORE Food ARTICLES

    Double Basil Mussels with Pasta Shells

    Fast, fresh and simple, this mussels and pasta dinner can be on the table in 20 minutes.

    Roasted Manchurian Cauliflower

    It’s sweet and spicy, tender and satiny, and looks as sultry and seductive as a cauliflower could ever hope to become. 

    Chef Suvir Saran

    Saran’s approachable style has helped demystify Indian cuisine in America and formed American Masala, his culinary philosophy, which celebrates the best of Indian and American cooking.

     

    Spiced Berries & Cointreau Cream Pavlova

    Pavlova is a lovely, light dessert that seems to be popular everywhere except for the United States.

    Masala Fried Chicken

    Indians (like many southerners) love buttermilk, so it’s a natural to use as a liquid spiked with Indian aromatics for the brine. 

    Gulab Jamun Brulée

    Gulab Jamun Brulée by chef Atul Kochhar