Galettes are a home baker's improvised pie, perhaps as a quick response to a last-minute need for something sweet to serve at the end of a meal. Make it with whatever fruit is in season, as long as it isn't very juicy fruit.

Note: If you like the taste and texture of nuts with fruit, you can sprinkle more chopped nuts on the fruit before folding up the sides of the pastry.

Ingredients

• ½ recipe Quick Pastry*
• About 3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts or almonds, lightly toasted, or toasted fresh bread crumbs.
• ¼ to ½ cup sugar, or more if using tart fruit, plus extra for sprinkling
• About 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped plums or apricots or whole berries, or a mixture

Procedure

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Roll out dough. Sprinkle the nuts over the center, leaving a generous 3-inch border all around, then sprinkle on about 2 tablespoons sugar. Mound the chopped fruit on top. Sprinkle on 2 or so more tablespoons sugar.
3. Fold the edges of the pastry over the filling, leaving a central opening about 2 to 3 inches across. Sprinkle a little sugar on the crust.
4. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the crust is really golden. Let cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Quick Pastry

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• Scant 1 teaspoon salt 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) frozen or very cold unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Cold water as needed

Procedure

1. Place the flour and salt in a bowl. Grate the butter on the coarse side of a box grater, then "cut" it into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or your finger tips.
2. Add the lemon juice and mix, tossing with your fingers or with a fork. Add cold water, 2 tablespoons at a time, just until the pastry comes together. (Depending on your flour you will need anywhere from 4 to 7 tablespoons of water.)
3. Pull the dough together and place in a heavy plastic bag. Flatten (from outside the bag using the heel of your hand) into a disk. Remove from the bag and cut into two pieces.
4. Place each piece into separate plastic bags and flatten into a disk. Seal well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days. Freeze for up to a month.

Original recipes available in Home Baking: The Artful Mix of Flour and Tradition by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid. Reprinted with permission of Artisan.