Apple, Pear and Concord Grape Galette
Image by Staci Valentine
This free-form rustic autumn tart is mellow with the floral aromas of apples and juicy pears.
Instead of raisins, use fresh Concord grapes to add a burst of color and flavor. Rye flour adds a dusky, earthy note to the pastry, perfect for autumn and winter baking. If you don’t have rye flour, whole wheat flour can be substituted. Use a mix of firm-fleshed and melting-flesh apples and pears for a luscious filling. Caramelized honey, the by-product of heating honeycomb to extract all the honey, adds further complexity and is often available from local honey producers. The Sardinian version, abbamele, is also wonderful. Or, use a dark honey, such as chestnut.
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Makes one 15-inch tart, about 12 servings
Dairy
FOR THE CRUST
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup rye flour
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup cold butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
¹⁄³ to ½ cup ice water
FOR THE FILLING
1 pound apples (about 4), a mix of firm-fleshed, such as Spitzenberg, Winesap, and Pink Lady, and melting-flesh, such as Jonagold
1pound pears (2 or 3), such as Bosc or Bartlett
1 lemon
1 cup Concord grapes
¹⁄³ cup caramelized or dark honey, such as chestnut or buckwheat, warmed
3 tablespoons Calvados (apple brandy)
¾ cup crushed amaretti or panko bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
FOR THE GINGER CREAM
¾ cup heavy cream
½ cup crème fraîche
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons crystallized ginger, minced
TO MAKE THE CRUST
1) In a large bowl, using a fork, stir together the flours, sugar and salt. Scatter the butter over the flour mixture and, using your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse sand with some flattened pieces of butter still visible.
2) Using a fork, stir in the ice water, a little at a time, just until the dough sticks together when pressed between your fingertips. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and flatten into a disk about ½ inch thick.
3) Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 3 days (or freeze up to 3 weeks). Let dough rest at room temperature until soft enough to roll.
4) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
TO MAKE THE FILLING
1) Peel, quarter and core the apples and pears. Cut each quarter lengthwise into slices ¼ inch thick, then cut the slices in half crosswise. Place the apple and pear slices in a bowl. Using a Microplane grater, grate the zest from the lemon over the apples and pears, so both the zest and the spray of citrus oils land in the bowl. Cut the lemon in half and give a healthy squeeze over the fruit. Add the grapes, honey, and Calvados and toss together.
2) On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 15-inch circle or an 18 x 12-inch rectangle about ⅛ inch thick. Transfer to an ungreased large, rimless baking sheet (if you don’t have a rimless pan, turn a rimmed sheet pan upside down). If you prefer, line the pan with parchment paper. Sprinkle amaretti crumbs over the center of the dough, leaving a 3- to 4-inch border.
3) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the filling to the dough, mounding it on the crumbs. Reserve the juices. Fold up the border, pleating the edges of the dough to create a round or rectangular pastry, leaving about 4 inches of filling exposed in the center. Spoon the reserved filling juices over the exposed fruit. Brush the crust with the butter, allowing some to drip into the fruit, then sprinkle the galette with the sugar.
4) Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and continue to bake until the crust is golden and the fruit is bubbly and its edges are browned, about 25 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Use a large offset spatula to loosen the galette from the pan, then leave it on the pan for 30 minutes to set up.
TO MAKE THE GINGER CREAM
In a metal bowl, stir together the cream, crème fraîche, and sugar. Cover and chill until close to serving time. Whip with a balloon whisk until the mixture is thick but still pourable, or whip until soft peaks form. Stir in the ginger.
TO SERVE
Slide the galette onto a platter and serve warm or at room temperature. Top each serving with a dollop of the ginger cream. The galette is best served the day it is made. If desired, the galette can be reheated in a 325 degree oven.
Reprinted with permission from “The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen” © 2015 by Amelia Saltsman, Sterling Epicure, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
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