A galette (rustic tart) is one of my favorite summer desserts! I have been known to make a dozen at one time – all using different fruits from the farmers market. One of my favorite fruit choices is nectarines. Both yellow and white ones work great – even a mixture of both. I use a food processor for the pastry, and the secret is not to over-work it. It is also best to let the dough rest for at least a half hour in the refrigerator before rolling it out.
Ingredients
For the crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1/2 teaspoon fine-grained sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 stick (1/4 pound) butter (European style, if possible), cut into 1 T. pieces
2-3 Tablespoons cold water
Nectarine filling:
2 large ripe nectarines, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar (Unrefined sugar works great in this recipe.)
You will also need:
Food processor with pulse option
Plastic wrap
Rolling pin
Smooth surface
Extra flour to dust surface of rolling area
Bowl
Parchment paper
Baking sheet
Medium saucepan with lid
Instructions
Make the crust first. Put the flour, salt and sugar in the food processor bowl. Pulse in the butter one piece at a time. (Give each piece about 5 pulses.)
When all butter has been pulsed in (mixture will resemble crumbly corn meal), slowly pour in the water, while pulsing, until the mixture is moist and holds together.
Remove the food processor blade and set it aside. Gather up the dough and form into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and flatten it into a disk about an inch thick. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to a week is fine).
When ready to make the galette, preheat the oven to 425oF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss a little flour onto your work surface. Take the disk of dough from the refrigerator. Unwrap it and place it onto the floured surface. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough away from you. Turn the dough 1/4 turn and roll it away from you again. Repeat this motion until the dough is about 1/8″ thick. Place the rolled-out dough onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Make the filling by combining the fruit, flour and sugar. Mix well.
Pour the filling onto the center of the dough. Turn the edges of the dough up over the filling, leaving the center open so that you can see the filling.
Bake for about 24 minutes until nice and browned. Allow to cool about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
Yield: 1 large galette
The galette is best eaten the day that it is cooked, as the crust tends to soften up overnight.
Enjoy!
This recipe is quick and easy and healthy, too!
Ingredients
4 slices of thick country bread
Good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh, seasonal strawberries, coarsely chopped
About 6 medium lemon verbena leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup thick Greek-style yogurt (unflavored, such as Fage)
4 sprigs of lemon verbena for garnish (optional)
You will also need:
Panini maker or cookie sheet and oven
Instructions
Drizzle the bread on both sides with olive oil. Toast the bread either in the panini maker or else in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove when crisp and lightly browned.
Meanwhile, mix the chopped strawberries with the chopped lemon verbena. Set aside.
When the bread has cooled slightly, spread each slice generously with the thick yogurt. Spoon the strawberries over the yogurt. Drizzle with olive oil.
Garnish with lemon verbena, if desired.
Servings: 2-4.
This recipe is fantastic for a quick appetizer with bread or for a sauce with pasta. You can substitute a number of herbs and greens for the arugula with great results.
Ingredients
2 handsful of arugula leaves
1 clove minced garlic
1/3 cup chopped roasted hazelnuts
1/3 cup freshly-grated parmigiano regianno cheese
1/4 cup rehydrated sundried tomatoes, diced (optional)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly-cracked black pepper
You will also need:
Food processor with bottom blade attached
Instructions
Drop the arugula leaves into the food processor and process for a few seconds until finely chopped. Add the minced garlic, the hazelnuts, the cheese and the diced sundried tomatoes, if using them. Process for a few seconds until everything is well-combined. Drizzle in enough olive oil to make a nice paste. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Serve with toasted bread or over pasta.
Fresh green garbanzo beans were onhand this morning at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market! I have eaten dried garbanzo beans and even canned ones, but never fresh ones. The fresh garbanzos were available from Catalan Family Farm, located in Hollister, California. The are a certified organic producer and are located on the front side of the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.
I was thrilled to find these and, of couse, had to buy a few to try. The fresh garbanzo beans were in their hulls, and they were a little tough to shell. Each hull contained only one bean. I tried a few raw, and they were delightful – crisp and peanut-like in flavor. I wasn’t quite sure how to best cook them. I could, of course, have boiled or steamed them. However, I opted to saute them in a little olive oil and sprinkle them with sea salt before serving. Hmmm….delicious! The beans tasted a little stronger than they do when dried, with a much fresher, greener flavor. These fresh garbanzo beans would pair well with fresh corn (also at the market today – first of the season!) in a salad or in a saute.
