Guest Post: Sara Bimmel

Strawberry Galette

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If you’re used to the perfectly crimped borders and heaped filling of pies, a galette may seem strange at first. As a rustic tart, it’s not often pretty, and it’s not for those who prefer filling over crust. But if you don’t care much about aesthetics and you appreciate the flakiness and flavor of a good pastry, the galette is right up your alley. And with farmers’ markets soon to open their doors for the season and push summer’s beautiful stone fruits and ripe berries, the time to make one is fast approaching.

I recommend a strawberry filling, especially if you can get your hands on some wild berries. The flavor is so great on its own, but the other wonderful thing about strawberries is that they meld well with almost any other fruit, so you can fill the tart with a combination that includes blueberries, peaches, rhubarb, or even apples.

Strawberry Galette
This makes one tart and will serve 6 to 8.

for the pastry:
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/3 c. whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp. finely ground sea salt
• 1 T. sugar
• 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 c. ice water

for the filling:
• 2 pints (4 c.) fresh strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. tapioca flour
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1 T. strawberry liqueur or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

1. Toss together the flours, sugar, and salt for the pastry. Cut the cold stick of unsalted butter into small pieces, and use a pastry blender or food processor to cut the butter into the flour. Stop when the butter is in pea-sized lumps.
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2.Gradually add the ice water to the pastry, a tablespoon at a time. Toss the pastry after each addition, and stop adding water when the dough comes together in a lump.
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3. Gather the dough into a rough ball, pat it down into a disc, wrap the disc in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes and up to two days.

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4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

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5.While you chill the dough, make the filling for the galette. Pour the strawberries into a large bowl, and toss the sugar, tapioca flour, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl. Sprinkle the dry ingredients evenly over the strawberries, and toss to combine. Pour in the liqueur or vanilla extract (if using), and stir the mixture again. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.

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6. When the dough is done chilling, unwrap it and place it on a flat surface that you have coated with flour. Sprinkle flour on a rolling pin, and roll out the dough to an even, flat circle that is close to 15 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough circle to a baking sheet coated with parchment paper.

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7. Heap the strawberry filling in the middle of the dough circle, making sure it doesn’t spread too much by scooping it in at the sides if necessary.

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8. Create the edges of the tart by grabbing the edges of the dough and folding them inwards. If you want better looking edges, trim the dough to an even circle before you fold it. If you’d like, paint the edges of the tart lightly with melted butter.

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9. Bake the tart at 375 for 45 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown. Let it cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving. If you’d like, sprinkle the tart with powdered sugar and serve with fresh whipped cream.

This post was contributed by Sara Bimmel, who writes about Halloween costumes over at StarCostumes.com