Gretchen’s table: Summer fruit galette brings bright summer flavor

Gretchen McKay | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)

Summer desserts should look and taste exactly like the season: bursting with color and full of fresh, sunny flavor. The best ones are also super easy to make, with ingredients that are easy to find in either the supermarket or farmers market, and not wickedly expensive.

My go-to when it’s warm outside is always a galette, a rustic, free-form pie that’s basically just pastry dough folded over a filling of fresh fruit mixed with sugar and a little cornstarch to thicken it. Not only is it a beautiful dessert, with the colorful filling peaking through the golden, buttery crust, but it’s super-forgiving for folks who wouldn’t normally attempt a double-crust pie, yet want something more elegant than a crumble.

I used last-of-the-season strawberries and new-to-the-season peaches for this first galette of summer, along with fresh blueberries. But you can pretty much use any fruit that strikes your fancy — stone fruits like plums, cherries, nectarines, and apricots work really well too. In a pinch, refrigerated pie crust dough can stand in for homemade.

It’s important to keep the dough chilled before adding the filling and popping it into the oven, Otherwise, the butter in it softens, which leads to a chewy, tougher crust. Brushing the interior with egg white before adding the filling will also prevent a soggy bottom.

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SUMMER FRUIT GALETTE

PG tested

For dough

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

For filling

• 1 cup sliced fresh peaches
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 cup blueberries
• Pinch of salt
• Juice and grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• Egg white, for brushing pastry dough
• Heavy cream or milk, for brushing pastry dough

Prepare crust: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together flour, salt and sugar. Add butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse, pebbly meal — 8 to 10 seconds.

With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough just holds together without being wet or sticky — no longer than 30 seconds. Squeeze a small amount together to test; if it is still crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Roll out dough into a 13-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick, on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill while you prep the filling.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Toss together fruit, salt and lemon zest. (no juice, that comes later). In separate bowl, stir together cornstarch and sugar, then add to fruit. Toss with your hands to combine. Add lemon juice and toss gently again.

Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the egg white on the surface of the pastry dough (still on parchment on baking sheet).

Arrange fruit mixture in the center of chilled dough and spread out evenly, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold edges of dough up and over fruit, pleating as needed and being careful that folded edge of dough doesn’t tear.

Brush cream or milk on edges of galette, then sprinkle lightly with sugar.

Bake galette for 45-50 minutes (rotating halfway through) or until crust is deep golden brown everywhere, berries are softened and juices are bubbling.

Let cool 2 hours before serving.

Serves 6.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

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