Nectarine & plum galette / crostata...

There are a lot galette type pies on the Internet. And I do mean a lot! But, I don't mind, as each and every one seems to be prettier than the last one I saw. Called either galette or crostata (first French, the second one has it's origins from Italy). I really like those "free form" pies, not perfect by any means, when it comes to their shape, but so pretty, each an every one unique. 

They're very easy to make and quick to assemble. I'd say you could use nearly any fruit that's in season. Strawberries, or any berries for that matter, plums, nectarines, peaches, thinly sliced apples or pears. 

As we know some fruit are more juicy than others, and the juices can easily soak into your pastry bottom making it quite soggy, so bearing that in mind, I decided to prevent that from happening. Simple trick of spreading some ground almonds before arranging the fruit on the pastry worked perfectly - no soggy bottom at all! :)

Cold butter is the key here, or you'll end up with pastry that's not workable at all. Dice your butter into medium size cubes and keep it in the fridge till the very end, take it out just before adding it to your pastry dough. If you're short for time when making a crostata, you can chill your dough in the freezer rather than in the fridge and cut that part of the process by 60 minutes!

How to make it...

Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 160 g chilled vegan butter, cut into small cubes (or vegan spread like Flora)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 aquafaba egg (3 tablespoons of aquafaba)
- 1 tablespoon soy/almond milk
- 1/2 cup ground almonds + 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon caster or demerara sugar
- 3 nectarines and 2 plums, stones removed and fruit sliced
- 1 whole, slightly beaten egg (or 3 Tbsp of aquafaba)

Method: 

- Whisk aquafaba and milk together in a small bowl and put aside. 

- In a food processor pulse flours, sugar and salt until blended, about 5 seconds (or by hand with your fingers). 

- Add cubed butter and pulse until mixture is gravely and butter is the size of peas. 

- Add aquafaba mixture and pulse until dough begins to come together into moist clumps. 

- Turn dough onto a floured surface and gather into a ball. 

- Wrap in a plastic wrap and put in the fridge to chill, at least 90 minutes.

- Preheat the oven to 200C (390F). 

- Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll out directly on the parchment paper on your baking sheet - that way you won't have to transfer it after assembling your galette. 

- Sprinkle evenly your ground almonds/sugar mix in the centre of the circle, leaving about 2-3 cm edge (which you will then fold over). 

- Arrange your sliced nectarines and plums in a circle, starting from the centre and moving outside.

- Take the beaten egg/aquafaba and brush a little on the edges of the pastry, fold the edges inside, enclosing the fruit all around. 

- Brush the rest of the beaten egg/aquafaba on the edges. 

- Sprinkle the whole galette, especially the fruit, with the caster/demerara sugar. 

- Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. 

- Take out of the oven and serve warm or cold.

Smacznego!


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