Peaching to the choir

Summer on the Oregon Coast is shaping up to be an exceptionally sweet one. The fruits coming to markets have been especially delicious and the peaches are no exception. We are right in the midst of the peach harvest season, which runs from July through September. Many varieties grow in Oregon including Frost, Red Haven, Contender and the absolutely adorable doughnut peaches, named for their flat round appearance.

When it comes to buying peaches you are going to find either freestone, clingstone or semi-cling. The freestone varieties have a pit that is easily removed. The clingstones have a pit that is embedded in the flesh and is a struggle to remove. Then there is a new hybrid, the semi-cling, with a pit that is not quite as loose as a freestone but also not as embedded as a clingstone.

Did you know that the fuzz on the outside of the peach serves a purpose? Those tiny hairs protect them from excess moisture which helps prevent discoloration. You’ve gotta love nature.

The recipe I’m sharing this week is a classic: a Peach Blueberry Galette. A galette is an unfussy rustic looking flat pie. I love the word rustic. It implies that the tart isn’t supposed to look polished and perfect. It’s meant to look homemade. This is the recipe I give to people who think they can’t bake. It’s a freeform simplified version of a pie, but make no mistake, it is equally delicious. As an added bonus, you don’t need any special equipment or even a pie pan. All you need to make the dough is a bowl and a fork. Blueberry bushes are bursting at the seams right now, so this recipe is perfect for using both fruits. It’s my hope that you find this recipe effortless to make and that it will unleash the inner baker in you.  A slice of this galette with a scoop of ice cream would be undeniably peachy keen!

Peach and Blueberry Galette

For the crust:

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

The zest of 1 lemon

1 stick (8 tablespoons) chilled butter, your choice of salted or unsalted, shredded on the large holes of a box grater

4-5 tablespoons ice cold water

For the filling:

2 large peaches cut into ⅛ inch slices

1 ½ cups blueberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 beaten egg, to brush on the crust

To Make The Crust:

Place the flour, sugar, salt and zest in a medium bowl. Mix with a fork. Sprinkle over the grated butter. Mix with a fork until the butter pieces look well distributed.

Add three tablespoons of cold water to the flour/butter mixture. Mix in with a fork. The mixture should start to look chunky. Add one more tablespoon of water. You should see a dough starting to form. If it still looks dry, you can add the remaining tablespoon of water. At this point, you can use your hands to form the dough into a ball, but don’t handle the dough too much or the heat of your hands will melt the butter.

Place the dough on a piece of plastic wrap. If there are any dry bits left in the bowl just press them into the dough ball. Cover the dough with the plastic wrap, pressing down on the plastic wrap to turn the ball into a disc. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. This 30 minute period in the fridge will help to rechill the butter and make the dough flakier.

To Make The Filling:

Place the peach slices, blueberries, sugars and lemon juice into a medium bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle over the cornstarch and stir to combine. The cornstarch is very important as it helps to thicken the juices from the fruit as the galette bakes.

To Assemble the Galette:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit for 10 minutes. This will make the dough easier to roll out. On a piece of parchment paper, roll the dough into a circular shape about ¼ thick. It doesn’t need to be a perfect circle. Place the parchment paper containing the dough on a baking sheet with sides.

Place the fruit mixture in the center of the dough. Spread the fruit out leaving a 3 inch border on all sides. Fold over the dough edges. Remember it’s not supposed to look perfect!

Lightly brush only the dough with the beaten egg. Place in the preheated oven to bake until golden brown for about 35 to 45 minutes.