Blackberry Galette
by Nigella. Featured in HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESSIntroduction
This is really a free-form pizza-like tart, which I made for the first time while we were doing the photography for How To Be A Domestic Goddess. We happened to have some polenta pastry left over and some spare blackberries in the fridge and I, suddenly rebelling against the planning and rule-following necessary to get all the food photographed, played around. This was the result. And really, you could use any fruit. I'd stick with the polenta or cornmeal pastry only because nothing soaks up the fruit's juices better without going soggy.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
This is really a free-form pizza-like tart, which I made for the first time while we were doing the photography for How To Be A Domestic Goddess. We happened to have some polenta pastry left over and some spare blackberries in the fridge and I, suddenly rebelling against the planning and rule-following necessary to get all the food photographed, played around. This was the result. And really, you could use any fruit. I'd stick with the polenta or cornmeal pastry only because nothing soaks up the fruit's juices better without going soggy.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Yields: 6 servings
For the Pastry
- 60 grams plain flour
- 30 grams polenta
- 1 scant tablespoon caster sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 50 grams cold butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (such as Trex)
For the Filling
- 1 punnet blackberries (approx. 150g / 6oz)
- approx. 3 tablespoons caster sugar
- 3 heaped tablespoons creme fraiche (plus more to serve)
For the Pastry
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons polenta
- 1 scant tablespoon superfine sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cold butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)
For the Filling
- 1 punnet blackberries (approx. 150g / 6oz)
- approx. 3 tablespoons superfine sugar
- 3 heaped tablespoons creme fraiche (plus more to serve)
Method
- In a food processor, pulse the dry ingredients, then add the butter and shortening diced into small pieces. Pulse briefly until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs, then add enough iced water to form a dough (I generally find about 2 x 15ml tablespoons is right), pulsing gently to mix.
- Form it into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge to rest for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 190ºC/170°C Fan/gas mark 5/375ºF.
- Roll the pastry out into a rough circle, transfer to a lined baking sheet and scatter blackberries on top, leaving a good 7cm / 2½ inches margin round the edge.
- Sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons sugar, to taste, then dollop with creme fraiche.
- Sprinkle a further tablespoonful of sugar over, dampen the edges with water, then wrap them over themselves to form a knobbly, ramshackle rim and put in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through.
- In a food processor, pulse the dry ingredients, then add the butter and shortening diced into small pieces. Pulse briefly until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs, then add enough iced water to form a dough (I generally find about 2 x 15ml tablespoons is right), pulsing gently to mix.
- Form it into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge to rest for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 190ºC/170°C Fan/gas mark 5/375ºF.
- Roll the pastry out into a rough circle, transfer to a lined baking sheet and scatter blackberries on top, leaving a good 7cm / 2½ inches margin round the edge.
- Sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons sugar, to taste, then dollop with creme fraiche.
- Sprinkle a further tablespoonful of sugar over, dampen the edges with water, then wrap them over themselves to form a knobbly, ramshackle rim and put in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
The pastry can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap tightly in clingfilm and store in the fridge. Remove from the fridge 20-30 minutes before using to let the dough soften slightly as this makes it easier to roll out, then shape, top and bake as directed in the recipe. The pastry can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Put the wrapped pastry disc in a freezer bag, seal tightly and freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge and use as above.
Leftovers can be stored, covered, in the fridge for 1-2 days but the crust will soften as it stands.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
The pastry can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap tightly in clingfilm and store in the fridge. Remove from the fridge 20-30 minutes before using to let the dough soften slightly as this makes it easier to roll out, then shape, top and bake as directed in the recipe. The pastry can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Put the wrapped pastry disc in a freezer bag, seal tightly and freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge and use as above.
Leftovers can be stored, covered, in the fridge for 1-2 days but the crust will soften as it stands.
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Posted by Allibeans on 14th October 2019
Show more commentsBrilliant little dessert. Couldn't get blackberries, so used raspberries, blueberries and sliced strawberries. Required a rather longer cooking time than the recommended 20 minutes to get the pastry edges nice and crisp, but other than that it's a good, solid recipe. I did a trial the night before a lunch party, but had no butter or vegetable shortening, so used ghee instead. Next day, used the recommended butter and vegetable shortening: both worked perfectly. Have to be cautious with the amount of water to bring the pastry together - it's easy to add too much. And I used two sheets of cling film to roll it out - it's such a short pastry, it's almost impossible to handle without the aid of clingfilm, but well worth overcoming such a minor difficulty!