Ham & Apple Galettes with Gruyere Cheese

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone! I hope you’re able to find time to visit with family and friends, play games or watch your favorite Christmas movie, EAT delicious food, relax, and reflect on the past year and upcoming year ahead!

My husband and I are finding time to rest and recover this week after officially crossing another house project off our list this past weekend! Whee! For all you homeowners, isn’t that just the best feeling?! And this one was a doozy. Note to self: Small room does not necessarily mean small project. More like a big pain. Ha!

We decided to retile our main floor powder room. Which turned into repainting (might as well, right? It’ll be easy!). Which then turned into changing out the lights, towel ring, and getting a new mirror. Well…it started out small. ;)

The result, though?! We love it! A few more things to add to give it a little extra pizzazz and this room is D-U-N. But I couldn’t wait to share it with all of you.

After all the projects we’ve now done on this sweet house of ours, you’d think we’d do a better job of taking before pictures. This is the best we could do. You’ll have to use your imagination on the true before. :)

Now, I know you’re busy with family (or maybe you’re all lounging the living room scrolling on your phones…#beenthere), so I just wanted to pop in quick to give you a simple recipe that’ll be perfect for either 1) that leftover ham you may have after Christmas and 2) a fun activity to get your kiddos involved in the kitchen when they’re bored and still have 5 more days left of break. This recipe is a lifesaver for you and them!

What is a galette you ask? The easiest way to make something that looks impressive! It’s pie that’s meant to look rustic and imperfect. Sign me up for that. As much as I love making that Pinterest perfect pie with the lattice business on top (wait, I’ve never done that before), a galette is more my style on an every day basis. Plus, kids. If you want to get the kiddos involved, this is where it’s at.

To make it even easier, there’s nothing wrong with buying pre-made pie crusts. But, honestly, the pie crust recipe I have below is probably just as easy. It’s all done in the food processor, so the mess is contained and it does all the work for you. I’ve been searching for a good pie crust recipe for years, and I think I finally found it with this one.

Once the pie crusts are rolled out, grab the kids and have them place the apples, cheese, and ham onto the crusts. Again, rustic! This recipe isn’t supposed to look perfect. Even though it may not look perfect, I guarantee the flavor combo is on point (and also kid friendly!). Use the deli ham suggested in the recipe or just use ham that’s leftover from your holiday meal. Don’t have gruyere cheese? I think cheddar would also be delicious.

Anything goes with this rustic, imperfectly perfect meal that your entire family will have fun making and eating!

Have a wonderful Christmas holiday! I’ll see you in the New Year!

Ham & Apple Galettes with Gruyere Cheese

Makes 6 Galettes

Ingredients:

2 prepared pie crusts (14- to 16-ounce package), thawed if frozen (see below for an easy pie crust recipe)
¼ cup unsweetened apple butter
2 Tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 medium apples, sliced ⅛ inch thick
6 slices deli ham, cut into strips
6 Tablespoons finely shredded Gruyère cheese
2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
1 large egg
1 Tbsp water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
If using prepared pie crust: Place pie crust on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12-inch circle. Cut two 6-inch rounds from the crust. Gather the scraps into a ball and roll into a third 6-inch round. Repeat this with the remaining crust, for a total of 6 rounds.
If using pie crust from recipe below: Divide dough in half. Cut each half into thirds to get 6 balls. Roll out each ball into about 6-inch rounds on a lightly floured surface.
Combine apple butter and mustard in a small bowl. Spread 1 tablespoon on each crust, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange apple and ham slices decoratively on top. Sprinkle each round with some Gruyère, thyme, and pepper. Fold the sides of the dough up over the edge of the filling. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Whisk egg and water in a small bowl and brush the edges of the galettes with it.
Bake the galettes until the apples are tender and the crusts are a deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Garnish with more thyme, if desired.

Adapted from: Eating Well

Easy Pie Crust Recipe

Makes 2 pie crusts (use a full recipe for the galettes)

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cups flour
2 sticks (16 Tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup ice water

Directions:

Cut the stick of butter into 16 tablespoons. Put all the ingredients except ice water into a food processor. Process 10 to 15 seconds.
With machine running, pour ice water gradually through the feed tube of the food processor in a slow stream. You may not need to use all the water. Watch the dough closely; when it forms into a ball, it is the right consistency.