Thanksgiving
by: Yossy Arefi
November10,2014
4
4 Ratings
- Makes 8 small tarts
Jump to Recipe
Author Notes
I like to think of galettes as casual pies -- “Oh, these? I just threw them together,” kind of pies. They are much less fussy than their double-crusted cousins, and there is no futzy crust-crimping for the folks who find that part of pie making frustrating. They are supposed to look rustic and imperfect, which means that you don’t have to worry if the fruit juices leak a bit or the crust looks rough and bumpy. These little “flaws” just add to the charm of these rustic tarts. —Yossy Arefi
- Test Kitchen-Approved
What You'll Need
Ingredients
- For the spelt crust:
- 6 ouncesspelt flour
- 6 ouncesall-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoonsalt
- 8 ouncesunsalted butter
- 6 to 8 tablespoonsice water
- 1 tablespoonapple cider vinegar
- For the pears:
- 4 medium pears, ripe but still firm
- 4 tablespoonssugar
- 1 teaspoonlemon zest
- 2 tablespoonslemon juice
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 1 teaspooncinnamon
- 1 teaspoonginger
- 1 pinchsalt
- 1/2 cupapricot jam
- 1 egg, for egg wash
- 2 tablespoonscoarse sugar, to finish
Directions
- For the spelt crust:
- Whisk the flours and salt together in a large bowl, cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes, and add the apple cider vinegar to 8 tablespoons of water in a measuring cup.
- Working quickly, toss the butter with the flour mixture to coat, then use your fingers or the palms of your hands to squeeze each cube of butter into a flat sheet. Keep tossing the butter in the flour as you go. The idea is to create flat shards of butter that are about the size of a lima bean.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add in about 6 tablespoons of the icy cold water. Use a gentle hand or a wooden spoon to stir the water into the flour until just combined. If the dough seems very dry, add more water a couple of teaspoons at a time. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough and squeeze it together without it falling apart. Press the dough together, then split it in half, form it into discs, and wrap each disc in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least one hour before using, or overnight.
- For the pears:
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Peel, core, and thinly slice the pears. Toss the pear slices with the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla bean seeds, spices, and salt.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of the pie dough into a roughly 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Use a knife or pastry wheel to cut the dough into quarters. Transfer the dough to one of the prepared baking sheets. Spread one tablespoon of jam onto each dough quarter, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Arrange a handful of the pear slices over the top in a decorative pattern. Use about 1/2 of a pear per tart.
- Fold the edges of the dough over the pears and press gently to seal the dough together. Put the baking sheet in the freezer and repeat with the other round of dough. Place that baking sheet in the freezer, too. Freeze the tarts for 25 minutes, or until very firm.
- While the tarts are chilling, preheat the oven to 425º F and whisk the egg in a small dish.
- When you are ready to bake, brush the edges of each tart with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake the tarts, rotating the pans halfway through until they are deep golden brown and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Tags:
- Fruit
- Lemon Juice
- Pear
- Vinegar
- Thanksgiving
- Dessert
See what other Food52ers are saying.
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ReeceAmy
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Laura415
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amy p.
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Rama Reddy
Yossy Arefi is a photographer and stylist with a passion for food. During her stint working in restaurant kitchens, Yossy started the blog Apt. 2B Baking Co. where, with her trusty Pentax film camera, she photographs and writes about seasonal desserts and preserves. She currently lives in Brooklyn but will always love her native city of Seattle. Follow her work at apt2bbakingco.blogspot.com & yossyarefi.com.
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5 Reviews
amy P. November 23, 2018
Spelt doesn't work for me, so I subbed in teff flour, which added a nice, deep flavor to my otherwise gluten-free crust. Also put in raspberry preserves for apricot and it made for a nice combo. Topped with caramel sauce and/or ice cream... YUM.
ReeceAmy April 10, 2016
Yossy - these are AMAZING!!!! First time using spelt, can't wait to try your Parker House Roll recipe. Many thanks!
Rama R. December 10, 2014
What is spelt flour?
Laura415 December 21, 2014
Spelt is a grain that predates modern wheat. Through selective breeding Spelt which has lower gluten was bred to become the high gluten, modern wheat that we use today. I went wheat free for 4 years to heal my digestion and now can tolerate lower gluten spelt occasionally. It behaves like wheat and is a wheat variation. Sometimes you will see it called an "Ancient Grain" It has a delicious nutty flavor and makes awesome cakes, cookies and pies. Try it if you can find it in your health food store.
Bob's Red Mill carries it and for a sprouted version, that is even more digestible, One Degree sprouted spelt is great.
MilletteofSd December 10, 2022
Laura, thank you for a fantastic post, Very informative. I just purchased One Degree Sprouted Spelt and made the Olive Oil Cake (on this site) by Kim Boyce and loved it. So, would you be willing to share what you bake with spelt that was great? Thanks in advance, Millette
