Galette Goodness: Creating Rustic Elegance in a Few Simple Steps

Galette Goodness: Creating Rustic Elegance in a Few Simple Steps."

If you love pies but hate the hassle of making a perfect crust, then galettes are for you! Galettes are free-form pies that can be filled with any combination of fruits, nuts, cheeses, or even savory ingredients. They are easy to make, versatile, and delicious. In this blog post, I will show you how to create rustic elegance in a few simple steps with galettes.

Step 1: Make the dough. You can use your favorite pie dough recipe, or try this one that I love. It's buttery, flaky, and tender. All you need is flour, salt, sugar, butter, and ice water. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then cut in the butter with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle some ice water over the mixture and toss with a fork until the dough comes together. You may need more or less water depending on the humidity. Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Step 2: Prepare the filling. This is where you can get creative and use whatever you have on hand or in season. For a sweet galette, you can use fresh or frozen fruits, such as apples, pears, berries, peaches, plums, etc. You can also add some nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc., for some crunch and flavor. For a savory galette, you can use cheese, such as goat cheese, feta cheese, mozzarella cheese, etc., and some herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, basil, etc., for some freshness and aroma. You can also add some cooked meat or vegetables, such as bacon, ham, chicken, mushrooms, spinach, etc., for some protein and texture. Whatever filling you choose, make sure to season it well with salt, pepper, sugar (for sweet galettes), and any other spices you like.

Step 3: Roll out the dough and assemble the galette. Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take the dough out of the fridge and let it rest for 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Then roll it out into a 12-inch circle (or any shape you like). Don't worry if it's not perfect; that's part of the charm of galettes. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and spread the filling over the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border around the edge. Fold the edge of the dough over the filling, pleating it as you go. You can brush the dough with some egg wash (beaten egg mixed with water) and sprinkle some coarse sugar (for sweet galettes) or some cheese (for savory galettes) over the top for some extra browning and flavor.

Step 4: Bake and enjoy! Bake the galette for 25 to 35 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly. Let it cool slightly on a wire rack before slicing and serving. You can enjoy your galette warm or at room temperature, with some whipped cream or ice cream (for sweet galettes) or some salad or soup (for savory galettes). You can also store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

There you have it: a simple way to create rustic elegance with galettes. I hope you try this recipe and experiment with different fillings and flavors. Galettes are perfect for any occasion: breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, dessert, or snack. They are also great for sharing with your family and friends. Let me know in the comments what kind of galettes you made and how they turned out. Happy baking!