Make Galette Instead of Pie for a Less Stressful Getaway
Pie is one of those things that some people just have a knack for. I’m not so lucky. For people like me, dessert is a lot of stress, and these people should take galette.
If you have honed your cake making process, congratulations and please refrain from flaunting it in the comments; this is for those of us looking for a more “rustic” dessert in our repertoire. (As someone who recently pulled a real piece of wood – or a twig out of their hair – “rustic” is an aesthetic that I can really lean on.) You can also serve the biscuit right away, unlike most pies that require refrigeration …
There is a crust, yes, but you don’t have to worry about rolling it into a uniform circle so you have the right amount hanging off the edge of your pie plate and you don’t have to worry about any squeeze or top crust. I love Jacques Pepen’s recipe , which is pretty easy to put together in a food processor:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
- 1/3 cup ice water
Combine everything except the ice water in a food processor and stir for about five seconds. Sprinkle the mixture with ice water and stir for another 10 seconds until the dough begins to tangle, but the pieces of butter are still visible. Collect it in a disc or rectangular mound on a floured work surface and either roll it out or refrigerate until ready.
For the filling, just about any fruit works well with butter and sugar ( an apple is a classic), and the New York Times has a recipe that allows you to use stone fruits, figs, or berries. After you have decided on the filling, transfer the rolled dough to a rimmed baking sheet and collect the filling on top. Fold the dough over the fruit to form a 1-inch crust and bake in a 400-degree oven until the crust is brown and the fruit is tender (about an hour). Serve immediately or later at room temperature. Just don’t worry about it; Galette doesn’t want you to be nervous.