Eat Beat recipe video: Apricot galette

Sort of like a freeform pie, galettes are a perfect way to showcase all the great summer produce -- both sweet and savory -- now showing up in the markets. For this apricot galette, toss sliced apricots with a little sugar and a touch of almond extract, which brings out the flavors of stone fruit. Add some sliced almonds to give the filling a subtle crunch, as well as a handful of fresh raspberries to lend a splash of vibrant red. As the fruit cooks, the flavors will evolve and soften with natural sweetness. Fresh out of the oven, give the galette a little time to cool slightly and all those fragrant juices a chance to settle before digging in.

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Apricot almond galette

Total time: 1 hour, plus cooling time

Servings: 6 to 8

1 1/2 pounds apricots (6 to 8)

2 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, depending on the sweetness of the apricots

1 teaspoon almond extract or 2 tablespoons almond liqueur

Prepared galette dough

3 tablespoons sliced almonds

1/3 cup raspberries, if desired

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon coarse sugar

1. Cut each apricot into 6 to 8 wedges, discarding the pits. Combine the apricots with the granulated sugar and almond extract in a work bowl and toss well to mix.

2. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the dough from the refrigerator to a flat surface lined with a lightly floured sheet of parchment. Roll the dough into a rough circle about 15 inches in diameter and a generous one-eighth-inch thick. Transfer the dough (still on the parchment) to a baking sheet.

3. Gently stir in the sliced almonds and raspberries with the apricots. Spoon the apricots into the center of the dough. Fold the outer 3 inches of the dough circle toward the center to make a packet, leaving the inner 4 or 5 inches of apricots uncovered (the assembled galette will be about 9 inches in diameter). Lightly brush the pastry with the beaten egg, then scatter the coarse sugar over the apricots and pastry.

4. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the apricots are softened, about 45 minutes. Start checking the galette after 30 minutes, and loosely cover the fruit with a sheet of foil if they color too quickly. Cool the galette 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.

Each of 8 servings: 374 calories; 6 grams protein; 43 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 20 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 54 mg cholesterol; 15 grams sugar; 303 mg sodium.

Galette dough

Total time: 20 minutes, plus chilling time

Servings: This makes enough for 1 (9- to 10-inch) galette

Note: This is a basic pie crust recipe, with the dough worked a bit more to strengthen it. The cider vinegar is used to help “shorten” the crust, improving the texture. Though you might smell the vinegar as you roll out the crust, you should not taste or smell it in the finished galette.

2 1/4 cups (9.6 ounces) flour

Generous 1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup cold shortening

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 1/4 teaspoons cider vinegar

4 to 6 tablespoons ice water, more if needed

1. To make the dough using a food processor, pulse together the flour, salt and sugar until thoroughly combined. Add the shortening and pulse until incorporated (the dough will look like moist sand). Add the butter and pulse just until the butter is reduced to pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle the vinegar and water over the mixture, and pulse a few times to form the dough. Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until it comes together in a single mass. Mold the dough into a disk roughly 6 to 8 inches in diameter. Cover the disk tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

2. Alternatively, to make the dough by hand, whisk together the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the shortening and incorporate using a pastry cutter or fork (the dough will look like moist sand). Cut in the butter just until it is reduced to pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle the vinegar and water over the mixture, and stir together until the ingredients are combined to form a dough. Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until it comes together in a single mass. Mold the dough into a disk roughly 6 to 8 inches in diameter. Cover the disk tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Each of 8 servings: 289 calories; 4 grams protein; 28 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 18 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 31 mg cholesterol; 2 grams sugar; 293 mg sodium.