Rustic Cranberry Galette

A galette is a foolproof, un-fussy pie. It is a one-pot wonder (or two: one for the crust, one for the stuffing), and requires no special equipment. You don’t even need a rolling pin: with the help of my friend Eva and an empty bottle of wine, we managed to make this a pretty and tasty dessert. It can be sweet or savory, and the stuffing knows no limits: all fruit and nuts are game.

Here a traditional sweet galette gets a healthy makeover: rolled oats make up the bulk of the crust, with some whole wheat flour. If you’re gluten free, substitute rye flour. Either way, it is chock-full of fiber and nutrients. You can pulse nuts into flour to make it even nuttier (I have a bag of hazelnuts waiting my next galette).

A small amount of raw agave nectar is used instead of sugar. Why is agave nectar better for you? It has a low glycemic profile - the sweetness comes from a complex form of fructose called inulin (the sugar that occurs naturally in fruit and vegetables) which means it is absorbed slower into your blood stream and won’t give you that sugar rush that comes from refined sugars (a process that is slowed down even more due to all the fiber in the crust). It is still sugar though, and should be treated as such - moderation is key!

Now, make no mistake, this it is still dessert. A stick of butter is used in the crust, but if you are vegan or looking to use a healthier fat, sub the same amount of very very cold coconut oil.

Cranberries not only make this a wintery-appropriate dish, they are also incredibly good for you, with high levels of antioxidants (phytochemicals), vitamin C and E. They’re cancer fighting as the phytochemicals neutralize the damaging free radicals in your body. Fresh raw cranberries are very tart: the agave offsets this, as does the blueberries and vanilla.

We served the warm galette with coconut ice cream which made it fantastic. A dollop of yoghurt would also work well. Use any fruit for the stuffing (berries, apples, pears, plums, peaches, etc etc), toss with nuts and seeds. If you don’t own a food processor, substitute rolled oats for almond flour and use your fingers or a pastry knife to combine butter into the dry ingredients to get the sand-like texture.

Ingredients Crust:

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour (sub rye flour if gluten free)

1/3 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup cold butter, diced and kept cold (or very cold coconut oil, if vegan)

zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons of raw agave nectar

2-4 tablespoons of ice water (as needed)

Cranberry Stuffing Ingredients:

1 cup fresh cranberries

1 cup blueberries (or any other type of berries)

2 tablespoons raw agave nectar

juice from 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Make crust up to a day ahead.

Pulse rolled oats in a food processor until finely ground and resembling flour. Add whole wheat flour and salt, and pulse until combined. Add cold butter slices and pulse until the mix has a sand-like (or pea-like) consistency. Add raw agave and lemons zest, pulse. Slowly add in ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together. You may not need the entire 4 tablespoons - I only used 2 - don’t over process! Gently roll it into a ball, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.

When ready to bake, remove flour from fridge, unwrap it and place on a large sheet of parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375°F. Make the filling by combining all the ingredients in a bowl, gently tossing to coat. Set aside.

When dough becomes malleable, roll out into a circular shape to about 1/8" inch thick. Don’t worry if it’s not perfectly circular - the ragged edges look rustic and fantastic. You can roll it out into a rectangle or any shape you’d like. Place the filling in the middle of the dough, leaving about a 2” inch border. Fold in edges around the fruit.

Place parchment paper onto a baking sheet or cast iron pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the edge is golden brown and crispy.

Serve warm, accompany with ice cream.

Yields ~6 servings of pie

Unbaked Galette, below

Galette Rústico de Arándano

Ingredientes Masa:

1 taza hojuelas de avena tipo “rolled oats”

1/2 taza harina integral

1/3 cucharadita sal

1/4 cucharadita canela

1/2 taza mantequilla fría, rebanada y mantenida fría

ralladura de cáscara 1 limón amarillo

2 cucharadas néctar de agave crudo

2-4 cucharadas de agua helada

Ingredientes Relleno de Arándanos:

1 taza arándanos frescos

1 taza mora azul (o cualquier otro tipo de moras o fresas)

jugo de 1/2 limón amarillo

2 tablespoons raw agave

1 cucharadita extracto de vainilla

1/2 cucharadita canela

Preparar masa hasta un día antes.

En un procesador de alimentos, moler hojuelas de avena hasta que estén en polvo, como harina. Añadir harina integral y pulsar hasta que se combine. Agregar mantequilla fría y pulsar poco a poco hasta que la mezcla tenga consistencia arenosa (como arena mojada, de tamaño de chícharos). Agregar néctar de agave y ralladura de limón amarillo y pulsar. Añadir agua helada, una cucharada a la vez, pulsando bien entre cada cucharada, parando cuando la masa se junte sobre si misma de forma uniforme. No siempre necesitarás el agua entera - yo solamente usé 2 cucharadas. Retirar masa del procesador de alimentos y suavemente rodar en una bola. Envuelvela bien en plástico, y refrigera al menos 30 minutos, o hasta 24 horas.

Cuando estés listo para hornear, saca la masa del refrigerador y quitale el plástico. Colócala al centro de una lámina grande de papel pergamino. Calienta el horno a 190°C. En un platón hondo, mezcla todos los ingredientes el relleno, revolviendo bien hasta que este bien mezclado. Dejar a un lado.

Cuando la masa se suavice un poco, usa un rodillo para estirarla en forma circular, no muy delgada (~1/8" pulgadas de grosor). Puede ser también rectangular, cuadrada, o como prefieras. No te preocupes para que quede perfecta - se ve bonita con la orilla no uniformes. Coloca el relleno en la mitad de la masa y extiende hacia las orillas, dejando ~2 pulgadas de orilla. Dobla las orillas de la masa sobre la fruta.

Colocar el galette y el papel pergamino sobre una charola de hornear. Hornear hasta que las orillas estén doradas y crujientes, unos 30-40 minutos.

Servir calientita, acompañar con helado.

Rinde ~6 porciones

Remains of a Galette, below