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Pear & Walnut Galette

Source of Recipe


Bon Appetit, January 2002






List of Ingredients



• -- Crust --
  
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 2 Tbsp sugar
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 11 Tbsp (1 stick plus 3 Tbsp) chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  
• 5 Tbsp (or more) buttermilk
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• *
  
• -- Filling --
  
• 6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
  
• 3/4 cup packed golden brown sugar
  
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  
• 6 medium-size ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, halved, cored, each half cut into 3 wedges
  
• 8 Tbsp walnut pieces, toasted
  
• *
  
• Vanilla ice cream
  






Instructions



1. For crust: Combine flour, sugar and salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter and process, using on/off turns, until butter is reduced to pea-size pieces. Add 5 tablespoons buttermilk and the vanilla. Blend until moist clumps form, adding more buttermilk by teaspoonfuls if the dough is dry. Gather into a ball; flatten into a disk. Wrap; chill at least 1 hour (and up to 1 day).
   
   
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F). Roll out crust on floured surface to 14-inch round; trim to 12-1/2-inch round. Slide dough round onto rimless baking sheet and chill while preparing the filling.
   
   
3. For filling: Melt butter in heavy 12-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, and whisk until mixture is smooth and starts to bubble. Simmer until mixture thickens, whisking occasionally, about 4 minutes. Turn off heat.
   
   
4. Arrange pear wedges on their sides in two concentric circles in sugar mixture, crowding wedges to fit. Sprinkle with 6 tablespoons walnuts. Cook over medium heat until pears are just tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Place crust atop pears in skillet; tuck crust edges in around pears. Cut several slits in crust for steam to escape.
   
   
5. Bake galette until crust is deep brown, about 38 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Invert onto ovenproof platter. Rearrange any pears that have moved. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons walnuts. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. If desired, re-warm in 350-degree oven 15 minutes before serving.)
   
   Serve galette warm or at room temperature with ice cream.
   
   Makes 10 servings.