The Galette Triplets

I've been thinking about Galettes (Rustic Tarts, Open-Faced Pies....what ever you want to call them)...The bottom line is, they've been on my mind. Every time I see one I think "Oh YA!!! I wanted to make one of those".

But I couldn't decide what flavor. And what if I chose one fruit and then wasn't happy with it...and I'd be stuck with this pie sized rustic tart thing.

Am I over thinking it? Probably. But in my defense .... I was really nervous. Being my first time and all. Plus...I have a confession...

I'm not a pie fan. It's the crust.

We'll blame it on those frozen pie crusts cuz to be honest, they don't really taste  all that good to me.

But since I've overcome my fear of learned how to make pie crust dough....oh man, huge difference.

Well...anyway...in the end, I decided not to choose a fruit. I got 3 different fruits, divided the dough into thirds and made 3 mini galettes.

For the pie crust, use your favorite recipe. I wont give you the one I used...it's nothing special, really other than the fact that it uses both butter and shortening. I had to add a few more tablespoons of water to get the dough to come together. But it was good. If you don't have a favorite dough and you're interested in the recipe I used, just let me know and I'll send it to you. It's not a secret....just redundant for those who bake and make their own.

Now...on to the making of my galette triplets.

Strawberry Filling:
1 lb sliced strawberries (could probably use another 1/2 lb)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
(might want to add a tablespoon or so of cornstarch. I didn't but wish I had thought of it)

Peach Filling:
1 lb peeled, sliced peaches
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon cointreau

Apple Filling:
1 lb. peeled, sliced apples
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
juice and zest from 1/2 lemon

Combine the ingredients for each filling in separate bowls.

Tip: Before you attempt to peel and slice the peaches, bring a pot of water to a boil, and pouch the peaches for 20 seconds. Remove from boiling water and submerge them in a bowl of cold water. Once the cool off, you can easily peal the skins right off. 


Preheat your oven to 400' F and insert a baking sheet on the middle rack, to heat up.


Take your divided dough out of the fridge...

On a lightly floured surface, roll out your dough...I dunno, maybe 8" diameter or something like that.

Now...an awful lot of liquid formed in the bottom of those little bowls, so I used a slotted spoon (I didn't want a soggy mess)...and I also sprinkled some cornstarch onto the dough before putting the filling on there.

Pile the filling in the middle, leaving about 1 1/2" around the edge clear of fruit. Fold in the edges and loosely crimp. It kinda reminds me of a duffle bag with a drawstring. Dot the tops of the fruit with some diced butter. Hmmm...I could've sworn I took a picture of the filling or crimping...but I guess I got caught up in the process.

Carefully transfer the galettes to the baking sheet. I used a pastry cutter and a spatula to support the bottom while I did the transferring.

Bake for about 45 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the fruit is tender. When there was about 5 or 10 minutes left in the baking, I brushed the pastry with melted butter.

In a small sauce pan, heat up a few tablespoons of honey and brush it over the fruit and pastry to glaze.

They say you can eat these hot or at room temperature. I recommend that you let them cool off a bit so the centers have a chance to firm up a bit.

I am thrilled with the results! They are so easy and taste great. I just love the rustic-ness of these little guys.

Sooo...what flavor would you have chosen? Maybe something I didn't think of? (btw...raspberries and blueberries did cross my mind for a split second then I remembered how expensive those berries are.)

I'd love to make a savory version or 2 or 3. Maybe a cross between pizza and a quiche? Oh, I wish I had thought of this before. I'm making Chicken Marsala for dinner tonight. How fun would it be to make a galette version of that?!