I would like to talk to whomever came up with the saying “as easy as pie”. Pie is NOT easy. At least not if you’re making it from scratch and have visions of it ending up beautifully perfect. Well unless you’re my mom – she is the mistress of all things pie – with years of practice under her belt. I can’t help wonder if there was a day when even she considered it to be a bit of a challenge.
Recently I had a bunch of peaches from my folk’s farm that were so ripe, they were about ready to get away from me. I really wanted peach pie, but didn’t have the time or patience (it’s impossible when I can only compare my pie crusts to my mom’s) but remembered this rustic dessert I had a couple years ago…a galette. My version definitely had the emphasis on the word “rustic”.
It’s very simple. Start with your favorite pie crust recipe, or give my mom’s tried and true a try.
Mom’s Pastry Dough
Makes enough a double crust for an 8″ or 9″ pie
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp shortening (yellow Crisco)
5 Tbsp cold water
Mix flour and salt. Add shortening and cut in with pastry blender until the pieces are the size of small peas. Add cold water 1 Tbsp at a time and mix. Form ball with hand, working in all the dry ingredients.
Roll dough out to about 16″ – it’s definitely ok if there’s some rough edges and it’s not complete round. Top with fruit – in this case about 6 small peaches, but I’ve also had it with apples and it was delicious too – leaving a 3″ border. Melt a half stick of butter, and brush around the edge. Mix about a 1/3 cup sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the peaches. Drizzle with remaining butter and then fold the dough up over the fruit into a peachy little pouch. Dough will not completely cover the fruit.
Bake at 425° for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350° and bake another 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Can be served warm or cold… especially if warm consider a scoop of good vanilla ice cream!
Definitely easier than pie but I’m thinking “as easy as galette” just didn’t have the same ring to it.