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.
