Galettes are the perfect frames for summer's fruit (no pie dish required!).
July 13, 2015
http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/food/master-pie-these-easy-free-form-crust-recipes
The
first time I made a galette, it was a solution to a problem. The problem
was a bicycle basket full of very ripe peaches I had picked at an
orchard in Bridgehampton, New York. After my ride home, they were so
banged up that I had to do something with them, and fast.
I
threw a simple, buttery dough together and baked those bruised but
flavorful peaches into a sort of free-form tart. While dessert was
sorted out for the day, that problem and its delicious solution turned
into a lifelong love affair.
Related: Honeyed Peach Galette
Whether
you call them galettes, crostatas, or just free-form tarts, these are
the easiest and most beautiful way to showcase summer fruits at the
height of their season. Think of them as frames around nature’s
masterpieces. They have an open structure that allows the fruit to
shine, colorful and juicy. And, if you have freezer space for them,
summer can linger.
The basic
technique is easily mastered and infinitely adaptable, and using a food
processor, the dough is a snap to make and nearly foolproof. The tarts
are purposely misshapen, so even unskilled hands can produce an
admirably rustic-looking dessert.
Related: Black-And-Blue Berry Galette
At
its best, summer can seem like our most fleeting season. But everything
about these galettes is intended to capture your favorite aspects of
the hot months, from the lazy-days artistry of the crust to the fruits
with their sun-drenched sweetness. Then there’s the way those berries
and plums transform lusciously in the intense heat of an oven, just as
infatuations seem to blossom into romance under the fire of a summer
sun. Me? I’m on that bike again, the smell of ripe peaches leading me
home.
Thankfully, that deep-summer
feeling is easy to rekindle: When I want to indulge in a favorite fruit
after its season has passed, I take a premade tart from the freezer and
warm it in the oven, and for a few delicious moments, it’s July all over
again.
Related: Plum Galette With Rye Crust
6 Tart-Smart Tips
1. Work out the kinks. You
need to soften stiff dough so it won’t crack when you’re rolling it
out. Hit it a few times with a rolling pin, let it sit at room
temperature for a few minutes, or massage it with warm hands.
2. Chill out.
Though it shouldn’t be too cold, your dough still needs to be cool so
it has enough firmness to fold properly over the filling. Return
too-soft dough to the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes. After the dough is
filled and folded, return the unbaked galette to the fridge to firm it
up before baking.
3. It’s all in the fold. The
rustic look works for galettes. Don’t feel obligated to carefully pleat
the dough. If there’s too much crust covering the fruit, simply tear
off dough to expose more fruit.
Related: Strawberry-Rhubarb Galette
4. Lose the juice. Extra-ripe
fruit can release too much liquid, which escapes the crust and makes
the galette stick to the parchment. Pour off excess juice or increase
the flour by 1 tablespoon. Run a spatula under the crust as soon as it
comes out of the oven.
5. Pick up the paper. To
move a large galette to serve, pick up the parchment paper beneath it
by opposite corners and, holding firmly, transfer it to a serving
platter. Then pull the parchment paper out from beneath.
6. Experiment.
Play around with whatever fruit’s in season in your area. Just use
approximately the same amount of fruit (about 2 pounds), sugar to
taste (1/3 to 3/4 cup), and thickener as needed (usually 2 to 3 tablespoons).
0 comments:
Post a Comment