Apple Galette – An Easy Rustic Apple Pie
Why make apple pie, when you can make an Apple Galette?!
Galette – Rustic, Free Form & Easy
A Galette is a delicious free form, rustic pie or tart. It’s made with all the same tasty ingredients you would use in a pie but doesn’t require fiddling around to make perfectly fluted edges. In other words, it’s easier than pie!
The crispy, flaky pastry is the perfect complement to our tart and tasty prairie apples. Remember, if you don’t have your own apples, help a neighbor with their bounty or join a fruit rescuing group like Fruit Share to ensure backyard fruit doesn’t go to waste!
Last night I made two Galettes. The four of us devoured the first one straight out of the oven. The other sat on the counter until this morning – but it did not survive untouched – the nibbling Galette thieves took a piece of the flaky pastry!
The following recipe uses my favorite pie crust recipe. I love the combo of shortening and butter. The shortening ensures a tender, flaky crust while the butter adds great flavor.
Apple Galette – An Easy Rustic Apple Pie
Ingredients
- Crust
- 2 cups All-purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 6 Tbsp Butter cold
- 6 Tbsp Shortening cold
- 1 Tbsp Vinegar cold
- 5 - 7 Tbsp Ice Water
- Filling
- 6 cups thinly sliced apples
- 1 tsp apple pie spice
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp milk
- 1 Tbsp sugar raw sugar or large crystals are best
Instructions
- Crust
- Sift together flour, salt and sugar in large, chilled bowl.
- Using a pastry blender cut butter and shortening into flour until crumbly with small bits of fat still intact.
- Sprinkle vinegar and smallest amount of water over the flour mixture.
- Mix with fork just until ingredients come together, add remaining water if needed. Large pieces of dough should stick together when patted.
- Pat into a flat ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Filling
- In large bowl toss together sliced apples, pie spice and brown sugar.
- Assembly
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Cut cold dough into two pieces. Keep one half refrigerated while preparing the other.
- Roll out dough into a 10 inch circle, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Arrange half of sliced apples (3 cups) in center of dough leaving a 1 1/2 inch border all around. You can make a rustic pile of apples or make neat concentric circles of apple slices.
- Fold border of dough up and around the apples. No need to be fussy - remember, you're going for a rustic look! Just be sure there are no cracks that would cause fruit juice spillage while baking.
- Use a pastry brush to apply a coating of milk on pastry edges.
- Sprinkle with sugar. Raw sugar or sugar with large crystals is best, but any kind will do.
- Repeat process with the remaining dough and apples.
- Place in oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Cool for as long as possible before enjoying with ice cream or freshly whipped cream
Notes
Here are some photos of the various steps in making a Galette.
Rolling out the dough. See all the bits of butter and swirls of shortening? As they melt and form steam they’re going to create a nice flaky crust. Don’t be tempted to work them out to create a uniform looking dough.
Mixing the filling. A slightly tart apple that holds its shape during cooking is best for a Galette. Tossed with just a bit of brown sugar and spice. Oh and because we’re going for the rustic look, peeling is optional!
Arrange apples on dough. A messy pile or concentric circles – which do you prefer?
Fold the dough. Work your way around the Galette bringing the edges up and over the apples. The folds happen naturally, just make sure the dough doesn’t tear.
Finishing touch. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with large crystalled sugar for a golden crispy crust.
Remove from oven. Â A golden crust emphasizes the folds and gives it that rustic appeal.
What do you think? Are you willing to give it a try?
Be sure to let me know how it goes if you.
Want to learn more?  Get Getty to facilitate a home cooking session for you, a group of friends or a community group. Getty Stewart is an engaging and enthusiastic facilitator that makes it fun and easy to learn tasty recipes, time-saving tips, and helpful kitchen ideas. She is a Professional Home Economist, author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, mom and veggie gardener.
