BLACKBERRY GALETTE

Last summer, when I had far fewer followers than I do now, I posted this recipe. So now that we’re in the thick of berry season, I thought it was worth sharing again because it’s so good and so simple. I love picking berries, especially with my kids. Perhaps it’s because I used to pick berries with my grandfather in his berry patch. And we’d often go across the street from my grandparents’ house and forage for wild strawberries. The satisfaction from hunting for and gathering ingredients and then bringing food to the table in the most delicious way is unparalleled. I love teaching that to my boys. They have been asking to go berry picking this summer, so I think I’ll put that on the agenda for this weekend. And whatever berries we pick will be used to make a galette. Or popsicles. Add berry picking to your list of summer activities. And if you have kids, you’ll enjoy seeing the pride on their faces after a plentiful harvest.

This galette is one of the simplest berry desserts you can make, and its shape is beautiful, even when imperfect! Like the picking, something about its handcrafted look makes it one of my favorites. You can actually use any berry, or better yet, a mixture of berries. This yields enough dough for two galettes, but you could also use the other half for a quiche, or freeze it, if you're only preparing one dessert.

SERVES 4-6

4 cups                              fresh blackberries or a mixture of berries
1/3 cup                             granulated sugar
1 heaping tablespoon      cornstarch
1 teaspoon                        lemon zest
2 tablespoons                  freshly squeezed lemon juice

2- 2/3 cups                       all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon                        granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon                    kosher salt
1-1/8 cups                          (2 sticks + 2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup                              ice water
to taste                             fresh mint for garnish

In a glass bowl, lightly toss the berries with 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, and lemon juice to coat. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, and salt and pulse briefly. Scatter the butter on top of the flour mixture and pulse until it forms coarse crumbs about the size of peas. Drizzle the water over the mixture and pulse until it comes together. (You may need to stop and adjust the dough periodically.)

With floured hands, remove the dough from the food processor, place on a well-floured surface, and form it into a symmetrical log. Cut the dough in half and use only one portion. 

Form the portion you are using into a ball. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough to form a 13-inch diameter circle.

Wrap the dough around the rolling pin and unroll onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Spoon the berry filling onto the dough, leaving a 2-inch border around the entire edge. Fold the edge up and over the filling, forming loose pleats.

Bake for about 25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Carefully transfer (I use a wooden pizza spatula) the galette to a wooden cutting board or other surface to cool further. Cut into wedges. I like to sprinkle it with confectioners sugar and/or top with vanilla ice cream for serving. Add fresh mint for garnish if desired (I love fresh mint with berries!)