Rustic Pear Galette

I'm really lucky that MAC is so easy-going when it comes to the food I put in front of him. Before I started this blog, I had the same 7 or 8 dishes that I would rotate on a monthly basis. I didn't have to think about these recipes.  I would just be on auto-pilot while I chopped, stirred, sautéed, and simmered.  If I was feeling really lazy one week, I'd opt to make a big pan (or pot) of something that would last us for 4, maybe 5, nights at the most.  I bet even foie gras would get pretty tiring after eating it for 5 days in a row, no?  Now, imagine eating some average home cook's unimaginative meals for 5 nights straight.  You feel sorry for MAC, don't you?  But, as monotonous and dreary as it was for him to chow down on the same thing night after night, I have never heard a peep or whine out of MAC.  I know, he's the best.

But, yesterday when I served MAC this pear galette for our mid-day lunch (yes, lunch),  I completely expected him to blurt out something like, "Is this what we're having for lunch?" or make some sort of proclamation that would suggest that his wife has gone totally bonkers for thinking that this fruit pastry could pass for a meal.  But, I was wrong.  He didn't say anything.  In fact, he was quite excited about having a slice of this galette for a meal that wasn't breakfast.  And, I don't blame him.  This stuff is delicious!  And, it's a snap to make!  Of course, I say that because I already had some leftover pie dough in the freezer, so I saved a little bit of time on having to make the dough.  But, even if you have to make the dough first, you'll see this recipe is still pretty darn simple.   

What I like most about this rustic pear galette is exactly that....it's rustic.  That means you don't have to be careful and dainty when handling the dough.  You don't have to roll it out into a nice, even circle or worry about holes forming.  You don't even have to cut your pears into nice even sizes.  You can be as haphazard as your little heart desires.  Then, you just dump the pears right in the middle of the dough, quickly fold over the edges, and pop it in to bake.  Naturally, you won't expect too much of something you just, literally, threw together. But, when you finally see it coming out of the oven, with its blistered, golden crust, and pears glistening with cinnamon and sugar, you'll be stunned.  It'll look "rustically" amazing!  I promise, you'll be adding this to your monthly rotation, and no one will complain....not even a peep.

Rustic Pear Galette

Makes one 9" galette

Pie Crust:

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, very cold and cut up into 1/2 inch cubes

water

ice cubes

1. Fill a 1/2 cup measuring cup with water and drop in a few ice cubes.  Set aside. 

2. In a large bowl, whisk together 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour and begin to work it in with a pastry blender, using it to scoop and redistribute the mixture evenly.  When all the butter pieces are the size of tiny peas, stop.

3. Drizzle in 1/2 of the ice-cold water over the butter and flour mister.  Using a rubber or silicon spatula, gather the dough together.  You may need additional cold water to bring it together, but add it a tablespoon at a time.  Once you're pulling large clumps with the spatula, use your hands to gather the dough into a mound and gently knead it together. 

4. Place the dough onto plastic wrap and shape it into a disk.  Wrap it up and let it chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, preferably two, before rolling it out.

Filling:

3 medium Bartlett pears

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Glaze:

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon boiling water

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F degrees.  Peel and core the pears, then cut them into 1/4-inch slices.  In a large bowl, toss the pear slices with the lemon juice.  Sprinkle in the cornstarch, brown sugar, and cinnamon and toss until the pears are evenly coated.  Set aside.

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a large circle about 12 inches in diameter.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and draping the dough over the rolling pin, transfer to the prepared baking sheet.  If the dough breaks at all, patch it up with your fingers.

3. Arrange the pears in a mound in the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch boarder.  Fold the border over the filling.  It will only cover the pears partially and does not need to be even.  The more uneven,  the more rustic it'll look!

4. Bake the tart for 15 minutes on a center rack.  Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350 F degrees,  and bake for another 40 minutes, until the pears are tender and the crust is golden brown.

5. In a small bowl, stir together the honey and boiling water to make a glaze.  When the tart is done, remove it from the oven and brush the honey glaze all over the top of the fruit and crust.  Transfer to a plate to cool slightly.  Serve warm or at room temperature.