SAVORY POTATO FREE-FORM TART
During Thanksgiving, no questions asked– creamy & dreamy mashed potatoes are my absolute FAVORITE side! That said, I will add that there is something I love more than the big Thanksgiving dinner. That would be... leftovers. I love taking a look in my fridge the day after to see what groceries I have left & think about ways that I can get creative.
On the morning after Thanksgiving last year, I found that I had extra potatoes and leftover frozen pie crusts. I knew I wanted to make a delicious yet easy brunch the morning after the holiday. Growing up, masala dosas on a long weekend always hit the spot and made the holiday weekend extra special. Reminiscent of my mom’s delicious masala dosas, I was excited to fuse fond memories of one of my favorite breakfasts into a galette. Masala dosas are essentially crispy (don’t @ me if you are someone that is okay with a non-crispy dosa) crepes filled with decadent, beautifully spiced mashed potatoes.
After a few tweaks and a few more brunches with mimosas in tow, the perfect dosa potato galette was born. Pre-pandemic, I loved hosting friends for brunch and my friends loved coming over once I made it clear that my dosa potato galette was on the menu. If you do make the galette this weekend, please do let me know. I’d love to hear what you & your loved ones think of this fun twist on a beloved classic– perfect for the holidays. Here’s my hot take: not all galettes are created equal and not all galettes need to be brimmed to the top of the crust with bubbly fruit. Savory galettes are here to stay and I hope to convince you of such with this recipe. :)
INGREDIENTS
2 large boiled and cooled russet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (roughly four cups once cooked)
2 tablespoons of coconut oil or ghee
1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
3/4 of a cup white onion, finely minced
1 inch of ginger, peeled and finely chopped or about a tablespoon of ginger paste
7-10 curry leaves, finely julienned
1-2 green chilies, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 1/2- 2 teaspoons of sambar powder, optional but highly recommended
1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida (hing), optional but highly recommended
1/3 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt or more to taste
2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons of cilantro, finely minced, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon of butter, cut into 6 dabs/pieces of butter
One egg, lightly beaten, optional
2 pre-made pie crusts (I used Trader Joe's frozen pie crusts)
DIRECTIONS
Begin by thawing your pie crusts and preheating your oven according to package directions. Then, boil your potatoes until fork-tender and cut into 1/2 inch cubes once cooled.
Gently unfold and layout your pie crusts in a Venn diagram shape on a baking sheet lined with parchment. If there are any cracks, you can also combine both pie crusts and then roll your dough into a 12" circle about 1/8" thick before transferring it onto the baking sheet.
In a large pot, heat up your ghee or oil on low-medium heat. Then, add in your mustard seeds. Once they begin to splutter, add in your finely minced onion, ginger, julienned curry leaves, and chopped green chilis.
Once your onions are translucent, add in your spices– turmeric, cumin, sambar powder, and asafoetida (hing).
Mix thoroughly and fry the spices for 1-2 minutes and then add in 1/3 cup of water and sauté until you form a paste.
Then, add in your cubed potatoes, salt, lemon juice, and minced cilantro. Mash and mix until thoroughly combined on low heat for 5-7 minutes until no more water is visible in the pot.
Leaving a 2-inch border, place and smooth out your potato mixture onto the pie crust dough. Fold up the uncovered border over the edge of the masala dosa potatoes and pinch into pleats. Then brush the beaten egg onto the crust, and place the 6 dabs of butter on the potato filling about 2 inches apart from one another.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is perfectly golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven, and let the galette cool for at least 10-12 minutes before cutting into it. Serve with your choice of chutneys or ketchup!
~ Feeds 10-12
Notes
I personally really love using Trader Joe’s frozen pie crusts for this recipe but you can most definitely make your own crust. One 22 oz. package at Trader Joe's comes with 2 pie crusts. Please make sure that you follow the directions to ensure that your pie crusts are thawed to room temperature. If you have a cracked crust, be sure to use a rolling pin or your hands to smooth out any of the cracks before placing the potato filling onto the crust.
I love serving this with a dollop of coconut chutney in the center of the galette and then serving it with an additional assortment of tomato chutney, ketchup, and bowls of hot sambar on the side.
I am all about getting things done beforehand. I will usually make the masala dosa potatoes the day before and store it in the fridge. On the day of, I will prepare the pie crust dough, simply add in the potatoes, and then bake. At the very least, I will at least boil and cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes beforehand.