Cook the Book
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[Photograph: Richard Learoyd

A single look at the cover of Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's Ottolenghi cookbook, and I knew there was one recipe I couldn't miss—the sweet potato galettes. I love sweet potatoes in general, so I admit it was an easy sell. Pair those garnet spuds with a blanket of sour cream, buttery puff pastry, and a few goat cheese crumbles, and I'm even more on board. But it was the final gremolata-like mixture brushed atop the finished galettes that ultimately sold me. Not only does the sauce add a pop of color, but it also brings fresh contrast to the richness of the pastry.

Why I picked this recipe: Just take a look at the book's cover. How could you not want to make this dish?

What worked: Because of the tang of the sour cream, bright bite of the gremolata topping, and saltiness of the cheese, these galettes tasted surprisingly light.

What didn't: It's really hard to spread sour cream on top of an egg-washed piece of puff pastry. It helps to get a super thin layer going, and then gradually add more. I also only needed around 2 sweet potatoes to fill the pastry.

Suggested tweaks: If you want galettes that are as deeply caramelized as the ones pictured, you'll need to bake them for at least five extra minutes. They're cooked through in 20-25 minutes, but they're barely more than golden brown at that point. You could use any small seed in place of the pumpkin, if you like.

Reprinted with permission from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. Copyright 2013. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House. All rights reserved. Available wherever books are sold.

About This Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 sweet potatoes, about 
12 ounces (350 g) each
  • 9 ounces (250 g) puff pastry
  • 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
  • 6 1/2 tablespoons (100 ml) sour cream
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons (100 g) aged goat cheese
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
  • 1 medium-hot chile, finely 
chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Coarse sea salt and freshly 
ground black pepper

Procedures

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Bake the sweet potatoes in their skins for 35 to 45 minutes, until they soften up but are still slightly raw in the center (check by inserting a small knife). Leave until cool enough to handle, then peel and cut into slices 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick.

  2. While the sweet potatoes are in the oven, roll out the puff pastry 
to about 1/16 inch (2 mm) thick on a lightly floured work surface. Cut 
out four 2 3/4 by 5 1/2-inch (7 by 14-cm) rectangles and prick them all over with a fork. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper, place the pastry rectangles on it, well spaced apart, and leave to rest in the fridge for at least half an hour.

  3. Remove the pastry from the fridge and brush lightly with the beaten egg. Using an icing spatula, spread a thin layer of sour cream on the pastries, leaving a 1/4-inch (5-mm) border all round. Arrange the potato slices on the pastry, slightly overlapping, keeping the border clear. Season with salt and pepper, crumble the goat cheese on top, and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds and chile. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is cooked through. Check underneath; it should be 
golden brown.

  4. While the galettes are cooking, stir together the olive oil, garlic, parsley, and a pinch of salt. As soon as the pastries come out of 
the oven, brush them with this mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature.