Sometimes you just have too many berries...

We had a surplus of blackberries in the fridge recently, largely due to a miscommunication regarding who was going to stop and pick up the groceries. :) One of my favorite ways to easily, and tastily, make good use of excess fruit is to bake a galette.

A galette is simply a round or, as in our case, free-form flat cake or pastry. Filled with fruit it is simply a galette. Filled with savory ingredients like meat or vegetables, it is called a "breton galette."

This recipe uses a simple pastry dough recipe that makes enough for 3 small galettes so it can be stored in the fridge and used whenever the mood strikes. The best thing about galettes, other than the flavor, is that they can quickly be put together and baked. This recipe also uses fresh blackberries (and a few raspberries for color), but any berry can easily be substituted in the same amounts.

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Step 1: Ingredients and Equipment

For the dough:

4 cups all-purpose flour
3 sticks (24 tbsp) unsalted butter
1 tsp. salt
~3/4 cup cold water

For the filling:

4 cups blackberries (or berry of your choice)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice (fresh is better)
3 tbsp flour

Equipment:

Food Processor
Rolling Pin (I recommend a French Tapered one)
Silpat (pastry chef's secret weapon)
Jellyroll Pan
Cooling Rack
Bowl, Measuring Spoons, etc...

Step 2: The Dough Pt. 1

In a food processor, briefly pulse the flour and salt. Chop the butter onto the top of the mixture. Pulse until crumbly. Don't over mix or the butter will get too warm and the mixture won't have the right crumb, making the next step a little more unpredictable. Slowly add cold water until the dough balls up. If you look at the pictures, there is one that shows not enough water, and one that shows too much water. If you use too much water, it is okay, you can simply add a little more flour to the processor, or, scoop the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead in flour until the dough comes together in a ball that isn't sticky.

Step 3: The Dough Pt. 2

Once you have the dough the right consistency, cut it into thirds and then wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until needed. One of the dough balls is all we need, and it can be used right away instead of being wrapped up.

Step 4: The Filling

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. The filling couldn't be easier. In a bowl, place berries, lemon juice (fresh is better but bottled works in a pinch), sugar, and flour. Lightly toss until the sugar and flour no longer clump.

Step 5: Putting It Together

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a shape roughly 12"-14" in diameter. Place the filling in the center and leave about a 2" gap between the filling and the edge. Fold the edge up over the filling by pleating slightly.

Step 6: Bake and Enjoy!

Place the galette on a Silpat in a jellyroll pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crust starts to brown. It won't get very brown, since we didn't wash it with butter or egg. You can do this if you like, but I prefer to keep the crust plain.

Allow the galette to cool slightly, then slice and serve warm. Enjoy!