Strawberry Galette

 

This is the simplest way to put a fruit pie together. If you’ve got some pie dough on hand (even a store-bought one will do) you can complete it in a flash. There’s just some rolling, slicing, filling, and folding to do. Oh, and I added a quick bit of spreading, too, in the form of a cream cheese layer between the sweetened berries and the crust.

I took the idea for the cream cheese layer from Sister Pie by Lisa Ludwinski. A lot of fruit pies in that book start with a thin layer between pie and fruit. I spread mine on a little bit thicker, which added some tang and richness to my galette without making you think you’re eating cheesecake. I really does seem to help keep the crust from getting soggy as well.

 

I also borrowed my crust formula and method from Sister Pie. The book makes pie crust drudgery into a labor of love, and with the proper care and attention, the resulting pastry is well worth the added effort. I highly suggest you get a hold of this book and see for yourself! That being said, this crust dough, and the one in this post or this post will certainly do just fine for your Strawberry Galette. I made the full recipe for Ludwinski’s “All-Butter Pie Dough”, which is enough for two crusts (or a top and a bottom crust), made this quiche with one of them, and stashed the other in the freezer to await my pie-making pleasure.

And so it was ready for me when I found local strawberries at their sweet, juicy peak. I didn't need to add much to make this wonderful deliciousness - bursting, exuberant summer captured in a golden pastry! Pure, sweet strawberry satisfaction!

You could add some other flavors like fresh basil, lemon verbena, or mint. You could adjust the sugar to taste. You could add other in-season berries or make a whole other fruit galette (see recipes listed at the bottom of the page). Just don’t let summer go by without enjoying something as much as I enjoyed this luscious strawberry dessert!

Strawberry Galette with Cream Cheese

Egg wash – a mixture of beaten egg and a little water, milk, or cream -  and a sprinkling of coarse sugar aren’t strictly necessary, but they do help make a shiny, golden, tasty crust. I also like to bake a galette like this until the crust is quite dark and crisp.

3 cups hulled and sliced or chopped fresh strawberries

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 cup sugar

1 single-crust pie dough, unbaked, kept chilled until ready to roll out

¼ cup cream cheese, softened

Egg wash and coarse sugar for the crust, if desired

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with a sheet of parchment paper.

2. In a medium-size bowl, combine the strawberries, lemon juice, cornstarch,  and sugar. Toss together to combine well. Set aside.

3. On a well-floured surface, roll out the pie dough into about a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking pan.

4. Spread the cream cheese evenly on the dough, stopping about 2 inches from the edges all the way around. Mound the berry mixture on top of the cream cheese, stopping where you stopped spreading the cream cheese.

5. Fold the uncovered edges of the pastry up over the strawberry mixture, crimping and slightly overlapping as needed. The folded pastry should just form a rim encasing the fruit around the whole diameter of the pie, not cover all of the filling.

6. Brush the egg wash over the folded crust if desired and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake at 425 F for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is a dark golden brown, the filling is bubbly, and the berries are soft. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into wedges and serve warm or completely cooled. Whipped cream and vanilla ice cream are good accompaniments. (This should go without saying!)

Makes 6-8 servings.

Other recipes like this one: Berry and Rhubarb Galette, Rhubarb Ginger Galette, Pear and Blackberry Galette, Plum and Grape Galette with Almonds

One year ago: Spiral Shredded Salad with Miso Ginger Dressing and Scalloped Corn with Sour Cream and Chile

Classic Apple Pie

 

Was it a perfect apple pie? No. Absolutely no. I promised to tell you about it no matter how it went, though, so here are some words on the subject.

I maintain that the best and most important part of an apple pie is the apples. That being said, I really don’t care if they are the perfect baking apples that soften just right without slumping into sauce. I wouldn’t mind if they still had some crunchy bite to them even after being cooked. I mostly just want them to taste great, to have a well-balanced, warming sugar-and-spice accompaniment, and I’m much happier if they came from a tree in the local area. There’s just some kind of fresh punch unique to new-crop apples, even if they’re baked in a pie.

Also, though, the baked fruit in a fruit pie is even better if it is encased in a great crust. I’m not even going to say perfect. I’m not going to say professionally fussy. Great is good enough. That’s an area, however, in which my baking is kind of meh. (I swear, I used to be better at this!) It’s not because I don’t understand the subtle nuances of great pastry. I know that the butter (or other fat) needs to be kept cold and to end up in flaky layers of not-too-wet flour. That flour also should not be over processed so that too much gluten develops, making a crust that isn’t crisp and doesn’t flake, and, at worst, is tough or gummy. I know that pie crusts should be egg washed so that they bake up to a lacquered golden brown.

 

My excuse? I baked this pie on a Monday afternoon/evening after having escaped The Day Job early. I had put in too many hours on too many days and was pretty much exhausted, bleary of eye, weak of leg, apathetic of perfection. I wanted apple pie, not the experience of making a perfect one.

It was still good, of course. It was apple pie. Classic, double crust. Lots and lots of local apples, enough, but not too much sugar, plenty of cinnamon, a hint of nutmeg. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it filled the niches and hit the points that apple pie ought to: homemade, delicious, warm, and comforting. Utterly successful in the representation of early autumn. A warm sweater in anticipation of sweater weather.

 

Would it have been better if I hadn’t added too much water to the crust, and processed the dough too long, or if I had egg washed it and baked it longer to achieve a crisper texture and lustrous golden hue? Probably. Do I need to evaluate my life so that I can make changes that allow for fulfilling, perfect-pie making experiences? Probably. Right now, this is what is real. It is also what is good.

There are lots of other people on the internet that strive for perfection in things like this. They are wonderful. They are inspirational. Maybe some of them are even perfect. I will leave The Perfect Apple Pie to them. Mine will do for now.

Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie

Based on a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

It is best to use “baking apples,” that is apples that get pleasantly soft but hold their shape when baked. I used the Wealthy variety of locally-grown apples, which work pretty well. Granny Smith apples are usually reliable if you do not have a go-to favorite. Personally, I do not mind if the apples do not cook perfectly in my pie.

For the crust:

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon fine salt

11 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

About ½ cup ice water

For the filling:

3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Egg wash (beaten egg mixed with water or cream), if desired

1. To make the crust: combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the cold butter pieces and pulse until the butter is in pea-size, flour-coated pieces.

2. Add about 4 tablespoons of the ice water. Pulse to distribute. Continue adding ice water about 1 tablespoon at a time, processing and adding water until the dough just begins to form a ball and holds together when firmly squeezed.

3. Press the dough together with your hands to form a large ball. Divide the ball into two equal portions. Form each portion into a disk and wrap well with plastic wrap. Chill until firm, about 2 hours. (Or chill until needed for about 2 days or wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months.)

4. Preheat oven to 375 F. On a well-floured surface roll one portion of the crust dough into a circle about 12-inches in diameter. Drape into a 9-inch pie plate. Arrange to fit without stretching, allowing excess to drape over the edge of the plate.

5. In a large bowl combine the filling ingredients. Mix together to coat the apples well. Pile the apple mixture into the pastry-lined pie plate. It will be very full.

6. On a well-floured surface, roll the second pastry dough disk into a 12-inch circle. Cover the filling with the pastry. Crimp the edges of the crust together, sealing in the apples. Press the edges into a decorative shape if desired. Cut a few slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape. Brush the crust with egg wash if using

7. Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any overflowing juices. Bake at 375 F for 1 hour to 70 minutes, or until the apples are soft and the crust is golden brown. Check after about 40 minutes. If the crust seems to be darkening too rapidly, cover the pie with foil.

8. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature (or re-warm cooled pie slices in the microwave.)

Makes about 10 servings.

Other recipes like this one: Apple Turnovers with Dried Fruit, Pear Apple Crumble Pie, Apple and Cranberry Crisp

One year ago: Pear and Blackberry Galette

Coming soon: Tomatillo Chickpea Curry, a new apple cake, and World Vegetarian Day….

23 Pies for National Pie Day

Today, for some reason, is National Pie Day. I would have thought March 14 (3.14) would be a better candidate, but I guess not everyone geeks out on math stuff. Any reason to celebrate delicious pie is okay with me, however, so I offer you a list of all the best pies posted to The Messy Apron Archives over the years.

As it turns out, this compilation of pies, sweet and savory, came out to a list of exactly 23 recipes. Perhaps there is a reason January 23 is Pie Day after all. And it’s directly tied to my humble little web log! Coincidence? I think not!

Anyway, whether they’re sweet, fruity, chocolaty, rich, savory, or packed with vegetables, pies are great, as evidenced by the fact that I have the perfect number of recipes here, even though I’m not that great at making pie. Here they are, grouped into sweet or savory bundles, presented without regard to seasonality.

Sweet pies including lots of different fruits, chocolate, crumble tops, and multiple styles of crust:

Berry and Rhubarb Galette

Bourbon Vanilla Pumpkin Pie

Grandmama’s Pumpkin Pie

Chocolate Pie with Graham Cracker Crust and Marshmallow Topping

Cranberry Lemon Cheesecake Pie

Open Face Blueberry Pie

Pear and Blackberry Galette

Pear Apple Crumble Pie

Apricot and Raspberry Tart with Crumble Topping

Peppermint Brownie Pie

Plum and Grape Galette with Almonds

Rhubarb Custard Pie

Apricot Strawberry Tart

Savory Pies including vegetables of every season, custard fillings, and various cheeses:

Butternut Squash Pie with Feta and Mint

Chard Tart with Feta Cheese and Olives

Corn and Green Onion Tart with Bacon

Corn and Tomato Pie

Morel Mushroom Galette with Easy Cream Cheese Pastry

Ricotta Tart with Peppers and Onions

Roasted Cherry Tomato and Olive Galette

Summer Squash Galette with Ricotta and Feta

Winter Vegetable Galettes with Cheddar, Mustard, and Caramelized Onions

Savory Carrot and Ricotta Pie

Whether it’s pie for dessert or for breakfast, lunch or supper, this particular food group deserves to be celebrated whenever we get the chance. Pie on, good bakers!

Another post like this one: National Peanut Butter Cookie Day