peach and black pepper galette

I like a galette because it breaks the pie rules.  There's no special dish, no crimping and pinching and sealing with a fork, no disaster if it slumps.

I took a pie class recently at my favorite bakery in Durham from the owner and darling of the pie world, Phoebe Lawless.  Phoebe shared several recipes with us and tons of tricks from thousands of pies' worth of practice.  I learned my crust was way too wet all this time.  And I wasn't refrigerating nearly long enough in advance.  But here's another small thing she said that blew my mind: 

"Black pepper is wonderful with peaches."

Is she serious?  Talk about rule breaking.  

I created a recipe to try it out and get lots more practice with my crust.  The black pepper kick with sweet juicy peaches really is wonderful.

For this filling, I mix slices of ripe peaches with sugar, black pepper, a pinch of salt, apple cider vinegar, and a splash of marsala wine.  If you're a peach purist, you can skip this step and also arrange the peach slices decoratively on the pie dough and sprinkle with sugar.  I like the extra flavor from preparing the filling with salt, vinegar, and pepper to bring out the fruit and balance the sweetness.

(Phoebe also shared this trick that you may already know from Smitten Kitchen.  To peel peaches, pop them in boiling water for 20 seconds or so, then straight into an ice bath.  If your peaches are ripe, the skins will literally slide right off.)

A galette showcases a golden flaky crust, so it does take some attention.  Be sure to refrigerate your crust well in advance so it will be sturdy and ready to work.

Following the expert suggestion of the James Beard Foundation, I also used a ground hazelnut mixture to add body and flavor to the base of the galette.  It was easy to do in a little kitchen chopper and added a nutty, satisfying sweetness.  I'll save you about 5 hours I spent in the grocery store looking for whole blanched hazelnuts:  I found them as "filberts" in Whole Foods and Fresh Market in the bulk section.  (These are also delicious chopped in salads with feta, asparagus, and orange, and of course in chocolate desserts, if you end up with too many.)

Take Phoebe's word for it.  You will really be surprised at the combination of spicy black pepper and sweet peaches.  Don't forget to sprinkle the crust with sugar before it bakes.  

This galette is impressive to guests and fun to make.  I think you will love it.

Peach and Black Pepper Galette

Adapted from the James Beard Foundation

1 single-crust recipe pie dough

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons blanched hazelnuts (hello filberts)

4 firm, ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon dry marsala wine (optional)

Freshly ground black pepper

1 egg, beaten, for egg wash

1/4 cup raw or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

In a small food processor or chopper fitted with the metal blade, pulse together sugar, flour, and hazelnuts to fine grind.  Set aside. 

Roll out the pie dough to a circle about 14 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick.  It does not have to be perfect, but avoid rips and tears through which the filling can leak out.  Transfer the prepared dough to a large baking sheet (pizza pan works too!) lined with a silpat liner or parchment paper.  Refrigerate 30 minutes. 

Sprinkle the hazelnut mixture over the prepared circle of pie dough, leaving a 2-inch border around the edges bare.  

In a large bowl, combine sugar, peach slices, vinegar, salt, wine (if using), and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper (about 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon if you were measuring).  Gently stir together to combine. 

Carefully spoon the peach mixture on top of the hazelnut mixture, arranging the peach slices artfully if you wish.  If the mixture is very juicy, leave the extra juice in the bowl and don't saturate the dough.

Fold the edges of the dough up and over about 1 1/2 - 2 inches all around, overlapping where necessary to form a free-form pie.  Brush the dough with egg wash at each fold to help secure the shape.  Be careful to patch any holes or tears with a little help from the egg wash so the juice will not run out while the galette is baking.  

Finally, brush the folded edges with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. 

Bake about 1 hour until the crust is deep golden brown and the peaches are soft.  If the galette starts to get too brown while baking, cover just those parts with a bit of foil to protect the crust.