country pastry . galette . sweet and salty
Salt in the pastry sharpens the sweet in the pie. Cheese in the pastry brings out the sweet in the apple. Pastry is an easy skill to master.
Don’t forget to hit Like on the way past!
We are living day to day now. Baby could decide to proceed with his arrival at any time. The hospital bag is packed. I go to bed each night with my clothes for tomorrow laid in order on the bedroom chair in case I have to dress fast in the night. Babies and their arrivals are unpredictable. When I was the one who was pregnant I drifted along in a sublime state of calm - a gentle bubble - being the partner in this venture is not like that at all.
I am distracting myself by cooking.
Have a Little Something reminded me about galettes! How could I have forgotten. So yesterday I looked about for something to fill my galettes with.
Home made raspberry jam. Nice. Apples in the fruit bowl. Easy. Butter and flour for the rustic pastry and we are done.
And a galette is a great way to share with you my rustic country pastry recipe. I don’t pretend to be a great cook. I am a country cook. I just love to feed people so bring your own influences to these recipes. These family recipes I share with you have been cycling through my kitchens for years but I love to hear what you do!
For instance a little strong cheese added to apple pie pastry is quite divine. The salty with the sweet. But I digress.
For savory and sweet recipes I use the same pastry recipe. Here is my Steak and Butternut Pie if you are feeling like something savory. The pastry is the same - I never add sugar to my pastry. The filling depends entirely on what is available.
Mum’s Country Pastry (4:2:1 Pie Crust Recipe)
Ratio
4 parts flour
2 parts fat (butter for me)
1 part cold water
This ratio scales up or down as needed.
For instance I only have 150g of butter in the fridge this morning so that means I add 300g flour, 150g butter, 75g water.
A note on the water: the amount of water we add depends entirely on the flour (a stoneground flour will take a little more water) so be prepared to add a little more or less to achieve that buttery crumbly texture.
A note on the flour: My pastry chef mentor from years ago recommended a low protein flour for pastry. Around 8% is ideal. We don’t want too much gluten to develop in a pastry and working the dough develops gluten. So if you can find a pastry flour, all the better, otherwise go for All Purpose. Most All Purpose is generally blended to be around 8-10.
Country Pastry
Ingredients in cups for those without a scale though I recommend a scale.
2 cups pastry or all purpose flour
1 cup (226g) salted cold butter, cut into ¼ inch cubes
½ cup iced water (adjust as needed)
Pinch of salt
1. Chill the Ingredients
Cut butter into small cubes and freeze for 15 minutes.
Chill flour if possible. Pop the bowl into the fridge while you are at it.
Measure iced water and keep cold. The colder everything is the better your pastry.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk or sift the flour and a pinch of salt. (I use salted butter today because that is what is in the fridge but if you are using unsalted butter add a small teaspoon of salt).
3. Cut in Butter
Add chilled butter to the flour mixture.
Cut it in using a pastry cutter, two knives, or the food processor. If you are using a food processor pulse only a few times, the action will warm up your dough so don’t pulse for too long.
Work quickly. Keep everything cold. Don’t overwork the dough. Butter pieces should remain visible.
4. Add Iced Water
Make a well in the flour-butter mix.
Add the iced water a little at a time, mixing gently with a cold spoon or spatula until the dough comes together in a shaggy mass.
Avoid overmixing. If dough holds together when squeezed, it’s ready.
5. Form and Chill Dough
Gather the dough into a ball.
Wrap in plastic wrap or baking paper, press together to form ball and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Rolling and Assembly
Divide dough in half. Return one half to the fridge.
Roll out the other half on a floured surface to ¼ inch thick. OR place the baking paper on the counter. Roll the pastry out ON the floured baking paper.
Swirl raspberry jam onto the pastry, arrange the apple slices, using the paper to assist bring the pastry up and over the filling. Sprinkle with sugar or brush with egg white.
Today I made a raspberry and apple galette. Unglazed.
The other half of your dough would be a lid if you are making a pie. Or keep for tomorrow’s cooking.
Baking Notes
Adjust baking time according to your filling.
For reference:
Apple galette: 380°F for 30-35 minutes.
For an egg white glaze whisk one egg white with a teaspoon of water.
Tips
Chill cubes of butter in the freezer before using. The moment you think about making pastry pop the butter in the freezer.
Prepare all ingredients and tools ahead of time.
Whisk or sift flour to aerate before combining.
Keep everything cold during preparation. If your work is interrupted pop the dough in the fridge to wait. Don’t let the butter warm up.
When adding water, stop as soon as the dough holds together. Gather a small portion into your hand and squeeze, if it easily balls up into a buttery dough then you done.
The dough will be fine in the fridge for a couple of days.
Pastry is quick to make and once you master a rustic pastry a world of dishes opens up.
The garden
The garden is growing and looking lovely. We have had a couple of cold mornings.
Do you see the tips of my feet in that shot? Ha!! I am hopeless.
Anyway, it is getting a little colder. Which is is fine - winter comes. The seasons change with us and we eat with what the season offers. Here in Melbourne, Australia, the winters are mild so I expect to be growing food all year long. Mostly greens this winter because I started the garden late. So tomorrow will be a silverbeet pie with the left over pastry. Maybe caramelised onions and silverbeet and cream cheese, maybe ricotta, just a touch of nutmeg. Salty and sweet. I wonder what herbs to add. Maybe even a little lemon zest for sour.
Such fun!
Baby is still gestating and at 38 weeks now - borderline 39 weeks - this is the stage where we are alert for any changes. So at any time we will be off to the hospital. This is a first baby and as you will be aware sometimes first babies take their time. Plus it is a boy and I told Daughter that bull calves are often late too - she did not appreciate being compared to a cow. But - you know - farmers never stop farming. The whole house is consumed with baby preparations. It is an amazing time.
But I can disappear from my pages at any time! Though I bet you will see me writing from the hospital!!
Have a great day.
Celi.
I guess I make richer pastry than you do, Celi: I use a three-to-one ratio of flour to shortening. I prefer to use a combination of leaf lard, butter and vegetable shortening, but I can leave out the lard if I have vegetarians or do it all with vegetable shortening if there is a vegan in the house. Why? Butter for flavor, lard for flakiness, vegetable shortening because it's cheap and because my mother and grandmother used it. My mother's pie crust recipe also contains an egg, salt and vinegar. It produces pastry that is both tender and flaky, rolled to 1/8 inch or less. No sugar ever -- the sugar goes in the filling for a dessert pie. Like you, I like cheese in the crust for quiches or apple pies.
I don't remember smoothies. But I think I was there during the end of mulberry season, still.