Bake

Kale Mozzarella Galette (With Bonus Empanadas for Tomorrow)

September  7, 2021
4.7
3 Ratings
Photo by Julia Gartland
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • makes 1 galette and 4 empanadas
Author Notes

Brigid—a professionally trained chef and cookbook author—realized while chasing her kids down the street one morning, waving a frantically thrown-together lunch bag, that if she was tired of the hustle, other parents must be, too. So she started making dinner for tonight and lunch for tomorrow at the same time, using most of the same ingredients—but with a twist even adults will dig. It’s better than leftovers. It saves time, energy, and dishwashing. It’s your new best friend.

Tuna, mozzarella, and kale transform with ease from galette (dinner tonight) to empanadas (lunch tomorrow), both using store-bought pie dough. Lightly but brightly seasoned tuna forms the base, while chopped kale—massaged with olive oil, lemon juice, and honey to persuade tender palates—imparts body and crunch. Kid-favorite cheese adds the final winning touch to both dishes. The result? Two standout meals that, despite some obvious similarities, are distinct, dynamic, and totally craveable. —Brigid Ransome Washington

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 store-bought pie dough rounds
  • 3 (5-ounce) cans chunk tuna or albacore (preferably sustainably sourced), drained
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bunch Tuscan kale, stemmed and finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • All-purpose flour, if needed for rolling
  • 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced, divided
  • 1 large egg, beaten with a fork (optional)
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 375°F and get out 2 sheet pans. Line both with a silicone baking mat or parchment. Take out the pie dough from the refrigerator.
  2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the tuna, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the black pepper. Flake the tuna with a fork and mix to combine the ingredients.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the kale with the lemon juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, honey, pepper flakes, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Using your hands, massage the kale until the leaves are soft and have collapsed.
  4. For the galette: If your prepared dough isn't already shaped into a 10-inch round, roll on a lightly floured surface. Transfer the 10-inch round to a lined sheet pan. Add half of the tuna to the dough, then add half of the kale on top of the tuna, leaving 1½ to 2 inches of space from the filling to the border of the dough for folding over. Top with half of the mozzarella. Using your fingers, fold over the edges to form a border. Brush the border with egg wash (if using). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown, the kale is slightly charred, and the mozzarella is melted. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving for dinner.
  5. For the empanadas: If your prepared dough isn't already shaped into a 10-inch round, roll on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into quarters. To each quarter, evenly add the remaining tuna, kale, and mozzarella, leaving a ½-inch border. Fold one corner of the dough onto the other corner to make a slightly oblong triangle. Repeat the process until you have 4 triangle pockets. Using a floured fork, press down on the corners of each pocket to seal, taking caution not to tear the dough. Egg wash each triangle if you’d like (optional, but it adds nice color). Using a paring knife, gently cut a small incision into the top of each empanada so that hot air can escape. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Allow to cool to room temperature before wrapping tightly and refrigerating. Pack in a lunchbox or serve for lunch the next day.

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1 Review

andrea S. October 7, 2021
Well....this didn't look pretty since the store bought pie crust folds came apart and the galette ended up being tuna+kale on a frisbee. But, the flavors worked and the crispiness of the kale was great. Because I use Morton's kosher salt, I reduced it to 1tsp total, divided 3/4 + 1/4. (The kale was plenty salty with the 1/4 tsp).

I used store bought empanada wrappers and they worked well - it made 6 very full empanadas. The empanadas were a big hit and most didn't make it to the next day.

We will likely make this again. I do suggest chopping the kale a bit to make it easier to fit in the empanadas. If you have a few extra minutes, I highly recommend making your own galette dough. The pie crust was easy, but didn't add much flavor and didn't hold up. When I make galette dough, it's usually thicker and more flavorful and I think this recipe would benefit from it, if you have the time.