Recipe: Blueberry Galette

Every once and a while, a girl (or boy) just feels the need to get her bake on. The slow process is cathartic, and the results are sweet and delicious.

I'm no Martha Stewart, and it always seems that the more time and effort I put into my baking, the worse it turns out. Which is why I simply love the galette. A rustic, pie-like creation, it maintains the flaky crust and juicy sweet fillings of a pie, but with much less fuss.

I prefer this particular galette recipe, created by the brilliant Sarah Britton of My New Roots, for two reasons. One, it comes together quickly and easily with the use of a food processor. And two, it's completely naturally sweetened, with a dairy free option. She used plums in her original version, but I found some delicious blueberries en masse, so went for those this time around.

Really, any fruit will cook up beautifully in here - just shoot for whatever is local, seasonal and in abundance where you are right now. Berries are great for the Spring, stone fruits in Summer, apples and pears in the Fall. I added some thyme and lemon zest for complexity of flavor, but if that's not your thing, it'll be great without them.

Blueberry Galette

Crust:
1 c rolled oats
1/2 c whole wheat or spelt flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 c very cold butter or coconut oil, solid
2 T maple syrup
1/4 c ice water, as needed

Filling:
2 c blueberries (or fruit of choice, sliced if large)
2 T whole wheat or spelt flour
2 T maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of one lemon (make sure it's organic)
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Preheat the oven to 375.

Add oats to the bowl of your food processor and process until they have turned into a fine flour. Add the wheat flour and salt, pulse to combine. Add the butter/coconut oil and pulse until you have a sandy consistency. Pulse in the maple syrup, then drizzle in the water, 1 T at a time, while pulsing, until the dough comes together. You may not use all the water. Be sure not to over process.

Dump the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, knead a few times to bring it together, and wrap it up. Refrigerate for a half hour or so.

Meanwhile, combine all your filling ingredients into a large bowl and stir to evenly coat the fruit.

When the dough is ready, unwrap it from the plastic onto a large piece of parchment paper. Roll it out into roughly a circle shape, about 1/8 in. thick. Arrange (or dump) fruit onto the crust, leaving a few inches along the edge free. Fold those free edges over the filling - yes, it's going to look a little rugged, and slide the whole thing into the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the crust starts to brown.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing it into wedges. Serve, maybe with some ice cream.

Author:

Elizabeth Williams is an acupuncturist in Greenville, South Carolina, specializing in pain management, women’s health, and psycho-emotional issues. She’s passionate about helping people feel their best and sharing her wealth of knowledge with the community. Elizabeth is the owner of Dragonfly Acupuncture & Massage, on Wade Hampton Boulevard. Appointments can be made by calling 864-451-4313, or scheduled online here.