Fruit Gallete

Ok, let's be honest. This (somehow) ended up looking very pretty, and tasted great, but making it was a disaster! Exploding flour, pastry shell engineering problems, and more dough sticking to my rolling pin than sticking to itself. Oi! I think I need to go through the process a dozen more times before I feel confident in my Gallete skills, but you know what, they turned out great. Maybe I was having an off day?

All that to say, if mine turned out well, you can do it too. This would make a really great dessert for a small party, because each person could get one, and it would make a really personal, sweet presentation. Although I didn't have any in the freezer, ice cream is always a good side item for things like this. : )

I used nectarines and blackberries, but you can use basically any fruit that you would like. Just make sure that if it needs to be sliced, slice it thin thin thin. My suggestion? Buy whichever fruit is on sale at the grocery store, because that will be (most likely) the fruit that is in season. Therefore, you know it's fresh and you'll be able to celebrate the time of year.

Enjoy!

Ingredients (makes 8 5-inch diameter galletes):
2 cups all purpose flour
2 sticks (1 cup) butter
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
Your choice of fruit

1. Cut butter into tablespoon sized portions. Set in freezer for 10 minutes.









2. Dissolve salt into water, and set in freezer as well.

3. On a clean, open area, pour out the flour and spread out into an even layer, about 1/4 inch thick.

4. Take the butter out of the freezer and place on top of the flour, spread out evenly. Sprinkle each pat of butter with flour, to avoid sticking to the rolling pin.








5. Roll over the butter to flatten and press into the flour.








6. As the flour and butter begin to widen, scrape the sides into the center. Continue rolling and scraping, outside to inside, several times until the flour begins to hold together.

7. Making a well in the center, pour the salt water into the middle. Take the outside portions of the dough and fold it into the water. Continue in this manner, until the dough can hold together.

8. Roll the dough out, bring back together into a ball, and roll out once more. Place on a cookie sheet and cover with plastic. Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

9. While the dough is chilling, cut your fruit. Sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons of sugar, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. (For example, a ripened peach will need less sugar than blueberries).

10. Take the dough from the refrigerator, and divide into 8 parts. Roll each into a ball, pat with flour, and roll out into a circle.

11. Place your fruit in the middle, leaving 1/2 to 1 inch of dough on the perimeter. Fold outside edges over the fruit and pinch together.

12. Sprinkle crust with sugar, and bake for 45 minutes or until the crust browns and the juice from the fruit bubbles.