Jasmine Cherry Pistachio Galettes

One of my favorite blogs is Tartlette. A beautifully photographed food blog, where, I think, almost every recipe is gluten-free. I am inspired by her artistry, both visual and culinary.

It was on this blog where I first met the galette. It is basically a rustic tart or pie... the crust need not look pristine, which to me is brilliant! You basically pleat the dough by pinching little folds...and if it tears - who cares! Finally, all of the pie fillings I've always wanted to make but never attempted because of my propensity to massacre pie dough, I can now attempt, experiment, make!

Inspired by Tartlette's Peach Blueberry Lemon Thyme Galette, I came up with a jasmine tea poached cherry pistachio galette. My version is NOT gluten-free!

I love the smell of jasmine tea. Such soft and subtle floral notes... it is what late afternoon sunshine, rolling hills and ocean views would taste like if you could put flavor to them. Summer in a tart...a rustic tart.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Jasmine green tea bags
1 cup of sugar
2 cups cherries
2-ish cups water
1 cup pistachios (chopped)
Puff pastry (10"x10")
1 egg (for egg wash)



I first added 2 jasmine tea bags to a small sealable container of sugar and let "infuse" for a day or two.

When it came time to make the galettes I removed stems from about 2 cups of cherries, put them in a pot and just covered them in water. I added 2 tablespoons of jasmine green tea infused sugar and a jasmine green tea bag. When it reaches boiling turn off and let steep until cooled.

Slice cherries (remove pits), and let drain in a sieve or colander while chopping pistachios and preparing the puff pastry.

Now, I buy the puff pastry...I know it's a short cut and I'm quite opposed to short cuts. However, puff pastry, though not terribly difficult to make, requires a great deal of time and patience. And since it is available in the freezer section of most grocers, and it tastes almost exactly the same, I choose to buy it. I saw an episode of the Barefoot Contessa where Ina Garten uses store-bought puff pastry and it gave me great relief - if it's good enough for Ina, it's good enough for me!

The puff pastry needs to thaw completely in the fridge, but once you take it out you must work quickly. The brand I buy, when rolled out is about 10x10 inches. I cut it into 4 squares using a pizza cutter. It's usually rolled in parchment so I just lift the parchment with the 4 cut squares onto a baking sheet.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of sliced cherries into the middle of the squares. Sprinkle a teaspoon (or so) of the infused sugar onto the cherries and sprinkle chopped pistachios on top. Pull the pastry up and over outer edge of the cherries leaving cherries and pistachios in the centre bare and pleat the pastry as you pull it up.

Work quickly, because the warmer the dough gets, the stickier and harder it is to pleat.

Brush an egg wash (one egg whisked) over the pastry and sprinkle a little more infused sugar over the pastry.

If the pastry has softened too much by the time you've finished put it back in the fridge to firm up.

Place it in a 375 F degree oven - middle rack - and bake for about 19 minutes. the pastry should be a deep golden brown.

I didn't put these ones in the fridge to firm up a little before baking. The sides puffed out and away from the centre...this will happen even if they are firm, but not to this extent. They still taste delicious no matter what they look like!

Serve warm or cool...preferably in the late afternoon sunshine, sitting on a rolling hill with a view of the ocean.