Peach and Blueberry Galette and Facing Addiction

This past weekend I hung out with some remarkably talented bloggers at the BlogHer conference in San Fransisco.

I was gone for two whole days, Saturday and Sunday. Monday, when I got home, I went to two supermarkets, Costco, and a farmers' market. When I pulled into my parking space and opened my back door, I realized that I needed a cart to bring all my groceries up. Suddenly it hit me, like a ton of bananas. I stood staring at my back seat and open trunk, every inch covered with bags. "Wow, that's a lot of food," I mumbled to myself. I had just gone shopping before we left, and it's only Jeff and me.

I couldn't move. Standing alone in my parking garage with the car doors open, I was ready to admit it: "My name is Susan, and I'm a food shopaholic."

Ignoring reality, I got all the groceries upstairs and consoled myself the only way I know how. I started cooking.

With two pounds of fresh fragrant yellow peaches and three pints of plump, juicy blueberries beckoning me, I called up my San Diego girlfriend, Miss C, to see if she wanted to hang out for a while. (She never says no.) You remember her, don't you? Our friendship had gotten off to a rocky start, but then my mom helped smooth things over between us. And now? We're real tight.

My girl Miss C. and I got right down to business and whipped up a remarkably easy and flavorful cornmeal dough from Cooking Light for a galette. I used coarse cornmeal so each bite has a wonderfully crunchy texture and rich corn flavor. It's light and flaky, not too rich and not too sweet -- the perfect vessel for a cinnamon and vanilla laced peach and blueberry fruit filling.

I thought I would bring it to my first FSA (Food Shopaholics Anonymous) meeting. So far, only Miss C. and I are signed up, but I am sure there are lots of you out there. You know who you are.



Peach and Blueberry Galette
Serves 8
Print recipe only here.

Dough:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup coarse cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup fat-free buttermilk

Fruit Filling:
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
3 cups thinly sliced peaches (about 3 large)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 egg white
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

To make the dough, combine flour, sugar, cornmeal, and salt in a processor; pulse 2-3 times. Add butter and pulse 4-5 times, or until mixture resembles coarse meal. With the processor running, slowing pour the buttermilk through the chute, processing until the dough forms a ball. Remove the dough ball and adhere any remaining pieces of dough to it, then wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30-35 minutes.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

To make the fruit filling, combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and toss gently, making sure that the cornstarch is coating the fruit. (This will prevent too much juice from leaking out while the galette bakes.)

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a sheet of parchment paper. Starting at the center of the dough, roll out, forming a 14-15-inch wide circle. Place the dough with parchment paper on a baking sheet. Add the fruit mixture to the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the border over the filling, overlapping where necessary and pressing gently to adhere the folds.

Lightly whisk the egg white and milk in a small bowl. Brush dough with egg wash, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for 1 hour, or until crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes. (Cutting it too quickly will cause the dough to crack). It's best served at room temperature or slightly warm. Optional garnishes include vanilla ice cream, a dollop of creme fraiche, or freshly whipped cream.

Speaking of berries, they are the featured theme for this month's Sugar High Friday hosted by me. Want to participate? Great! Send me a berry-licious dessert by August 3rd, and check out the details here.





You might also like:


Fresh Apricot and Cherry Cobbler with Buttermilk Biscuit Crust





Fresh Blackberry, Oatmeal, and Cashew Cake





Fresh Pineapple, Banana, and Pistachio Cake with Rum Icing





Here are more stone fruit and berry recipes:

• Bron's Nectarine and Bluebery Tarts
• Serious Eats' Blackerry Ginger Sorbet with Grilled Peaches
  
• Six by 10 Tiny Kitchen's Blueberry Nectarine Pie
  
• We Are Never Full's Nectarine Tart with Blackberries

Save This Page on Del.icio.us

Savory Sausage and Fennel Galette and My New Best Friend

I have a new friend I'd like you to meet. I've never had a friend like her before-- she's fast and easy. So I was skeptical when my parents, of all people, insisted I would like her.

I don't like her, I love her. Readers meet Miss Cuisinart.

She is now my new best friend. Pie crusts (see ricotta pie and rice pie) are a snap thanks to her. She's also really neat; I no longer have to suffer sticky fingers and counter tops; she keeps everything to herself.

In full disclosure, our relationship was a bit bumpy at first. I wasn't sure when her dough needed more water or was ready to come out, and she wasn't forthright with me. So last time my mom visited, she conducted an intervention between Miss C. and me. Mom gave me suggestions such as how much water to add and how much to pulse. She did not give Miss C. any suggestions though; I guess I was the source of all our problems.

After that, Miss C. and I made pate brisee, a French buttery crust that is wonderful for pies and tarts. We also made a basic sweet pie crust for strawberry pie (coming soon). I was so elated at this turn of events, I would have kept making more crusts, but how many pies can two people eat?

Though Miss C. and I are tight now, I still won't invite her over when I make homemade pizza dough. Pizza dough is always made by hand; I'm just old school that way.

If you're looking for a new friend to hang out with in the kitchen, Miss C. has lots of sisters; you can find them at the Cuisinart site. So go ahead and splurge. OK, maybe not on the $800 one, (we are in a recession after all) but perhaps on the $150 or $200 model. She'll be one of the most reliable friends you've ever had.

My pate brisee (from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook) is the basis of this savory galette. A galette, which I like to call the "Lazy Susan's Pie," is an open-faced, free form pie that can be filled with savory or sweet fillings. Think of galettes as low maintenance pies-- they don't have to look perfect; a few little cracks are "rustic."

I made a savory filling of hot Italian sausage, crisp fresh fennel, salty sun-dried tomatoes, and rich smoked mozzarella. Though the aroma will entice you to eat two or three pieces, I'd suggest just one; the crust is rich, and buttery, and the filling is, well, filling. Serve it as an appetizer or with a simple side salad of arugula and cherry tomatoes for a dinner.

Savory Sausage and Fennel Galette
Serves 6-8
Print recipe only here.

Pate Brisee: (from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1/8 cup ice water, plus more if needed

Filling: (from Food Blogga)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 pound hot fennel sausage, removed from the casing
1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons sugar
6 sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in oil, patted dry and thinly sliced
1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary

1 egg, lightly beaten, and 1/2 teaspoon water for egg wash

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse to combine. Add the butter, and pulse until mixture coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds. (To mix by hand, combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry blender.)

With the machine running, add the ice water through the feed tube in a a slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of the dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into flattened disks. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. (The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.)

To make the filling, warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sausage, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Add sliced fennel and sugar, and continue sauteing until sausage is cooked through and vegetables are lightly browned, another 3-4 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat, and stir in smoked mozzarella and fresh herbs, until well combined.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 12-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer dough to a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Arrange filling on top of dough, leaving a 2-inch border all the way around. Fold the border over the filling, overlapping where necessary and pressing gently to adhere the folds.

Brush dough with egg wash. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and the filing is crispy. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool the galette. Serve warm or at room temperature.

(The second piece of dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.)

You might also like:

• Broccolini and sun-dried tomato pie
• Spinach, nutmeg, and ricotta pie
• Pizza Chena (Italian for "full pie")
  

Save This Page on Del.icio.us