When I stopped by “Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts” Pop-Up shop this weekend I got a first hand look at the new book (which is a must-have) and had the opportunity to talk pie with Sarah Carey of Everyday Food and Shira Bocar of Whole Living as they made mini rhubarb and raspberry galettes.
Here are some of their tips for making simple free-form pies:
- Free form pies, like galettes and crostatas, are versatile and easy, and should be in every home cooks arsenal. They don’t require a pie or baking dish and can be made as big or small as you like. Simply shape the dough around your filling by hand, brush with an egg wash, and dust with a sweet or savory topping.
- When making free-form pies, cut out square shapes from your dough (see photos below) instead of circles; this gets you more bang for your buck and prevents wasted dough scraps.
- If your dough is soft or warm after shaping your pies, don’t put them straight in the oven; this will cause them to open up and send your filling all over the place. Instead, chill them in fridge for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour and then bake away.
- Mini galettes are the perfect make-ahead dessert for a party; assemble them on a sheet tray lined with parchment, wrap in plastic, and store in the fridge until ready to bake. They cook fast and will keep you with your guests instead of in the kitchen.
- You can fill a galette with just about anything—sweet fruits or savory vegetables—but it’s important to remember how juicy your filling is. If working with juicy fillings like berries or tomatoes, use cornstarch as your binding agent. If working with firmer fillings like apples, stone fruits, or squash, use flour, which has less starch, to hold everything together.
Now that spring is here, rhubarb and raspberry galettes are the perfect dessert to celebrate the season. Check out the step-by-step photos of Shira assembling the galettes below and click here to get the recipe from MarthaStewart.com.
Step 1: Make your filling. This has fresh raspberries, rhubarb, sugar, & cornstarch.
Step 2: Roll your dough into a rectangular shape and cut out square shapes.
Step 3: Place a generous amount of filling in the center of each square.
Step 4: Working in a circle, fold the edges over the filling, pinching to seal the edges.
Step 5: Brush the top of the dough w/ egg wash and sprinkle w/ coarse sugar. Bake @ 400 for 30 minutes, then 375 for 15 minutes more.
Tara O'Keeffe
[...] held court in front of the adorably dressed duo and got some really helpful tips on all things pie. Check out my next post to get some great tips and watch Shira assemble these adorable sweet treats (… Gift with purchase: chewy chess pie-full of butter and caramel goodness! Sarah Carey showing us how [...]
[...] like a step by step photo guide to assembling a galette, check out my previous post from the Martha Stewart Pies & Tarts Pop-Up. While this recipe only calls for 1/2 a recipe of pâte brisée, make the whole batch and freeze it [...]