Makes one 9-inch round
Get out the flour canister for one of the best desserts of the season. Tart rhubarb is the forgotten sister of summer fruits (though technically, rhubarb is a vegetable). This lightly sweetened galette is built on a buttery, ground almond pastry. Almonds with their skins add a ton of flavor to the pastry, which comes together quickly in a food processor. If you plan on making fruit pies or tarts this summer, try using tapioca flour (sometimes called tapioca starch) instead of cornstarch to thicken the filling. It's not as hard to find as it has been, and the filling after baking has a clear, glossy texture. It also thickens liquids at a lower temperature (140 degrees) than cornstarch or flour. This tart needs no embellishment, but if you want to gild the lily, add a scoop of ice cream or spoonful of whipped cream. The galette is best the day it is baked.
PASTRY
| ¾ | cup whole unskinned almonds |
| 1¼ | cups flour |
| 2 | tablespoons granulated sugar |
| ½ | teaspoon salt |
| ½ | cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes |
| ¼ | cup ice water, or more if needed |
1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Spread the almonds on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until they smell toasty. Cool completely.
3. In a food processor, work the almonds until they are very finely chopped. Remove and set aside 1/4 cup for the filling. Set the parchment-lined baking sheet aside for baking the galette.
4. To the remaining almonds in the food processor, add the flour, sugar, salt, and cold butter. Pulse the mixture about 4 times, or until the butter is in pea-size pieces (a few large pieces are okay because you will process the dough again when you add the water.)
5. Remove the processor lid and sprinkle the ice water over the flour mixture. Pulse until the mixture looks beady but does not yet form large clumps. Press a small amount of dough together in your hand. It should form a clump that holds together firmly when pressed without cracking. If it feels dry, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse briefly.
6. Tip the dough crumbles onto the countertop. Press them together with cupped hands to form a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes or up to one day.
FILLING
| Flour (for sprinkling) | |
| ¼ | cup ground almonds (reserved from pastry) |
| Grated rind of 1 orange | |
| ¼ | cup granulated sugar |
| 2 | tablespoons tapioca flour or cornstarch |
| Pinch of salt | |
| 4 | large stalks (about 3/4 pound) fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces (2 1/2 cups) |
| 1 | egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water |
| Turbinado or granulated sugar (for sprinkling) |
1. Set the oven at 375 degrees. Have the parchment-lined baking sheet on hand.
2. On a lightly floured counter, roll the dough into a 13-inch circle. Transfer it to the baking sheet; it's okay if it hangs over the edge a little. Leaving a 3-inch border all around, sprinkle the 1/4 cup ground almonds in a circle in the center.
3. In a large bowl, rub the orange rind into the sugar. Stir in the tapioca flour or cornstarch and salt. Add the rhubarb and toss to coat it all over.
4. Spread the rhubarb over the circle of almonds. Fold the outside rim of dough over the fruit, pleating as necessary to form a round. Press the edge gently to seal the pleats. Brush the edge with the egg mixture. Sprinkle with turbinado or granulated sugar.
5. Bake the galette for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling in the center and the crust is golden brown. Set the galette on a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into slices.
Sally Pasley Vargas
Makes one 9-inch round
Get out the flour canister for one of the best desserts of the season. Tart rhubarb is the forgotten sister of summer fruits (though technically, rhubarb is a vegetable). This lightly sweetened galette is built on a buttery, ground almond pastry. Almonds with their skins add a ton of flavor to the pastry, which comes together quickly in a food processor. If you plan on making fruit pies or tarts this summer, try using tapioca flour (sometimes called tapioca starch) instead of cornstarch to thicken the filling. It's not as hard to find as it has been, and the filling after baking has a clear, glossy texture. It also thickens liquids at a lower temperature (140 degrees) than cornstarch or flour. This tart needs no embellishment, but if you want to gild the lily, add a scoop of ice cream or spoonful of whipped cream. The galette is best the day it is baked.
PASTRY
| ¾ | cup whole unskinned almonds |
| 1¼ | cups flour |
| 2 | tablespoons granulated sugar |
| ½ | teaspoon salt |
| ½ | cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes |
| ¼ | cup ice water, or more if needed |
1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Spread the almonds on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until they smell toasty. Cool completely.
3. In a food processor, work the almonds until they are very finely chopped. Remove and set aside 1/4 cup for the filling. Set the parchment-lined baking sheet aside for baking the galette.
4. To the remaining almonds in the food processor, add the flour, sugar, salt, and cold butter. Pulse the mixture about 4 times, or until the butter is in pea-size pieces (a few large pieces are okay because you will process the dough again when you add the water.)
5. Remove the processor lid and sprinkle the ice water over the flour mixture. Pulse until the mixture looks beady but does not yet form large clumps. Press a small amount of dough together in your hand. It should form a clump that holds together firmly when pressed without cracking. If it feels dry, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse briefly.
6. Tip the dough crumbles onto the countertop. Press them together with cupped hands to form a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes or up to one day.
FILLING
| Flour (for sprinkling) | |
| ¼ | cup ground almonds (reserved from pastry) |
| Grated rind of 1 orange | |
| ¼ | cup granulated sugar |
| 2 | tablespoons tapioca flour or cornstarch |
| Pinch of salt | |
| 4 | large stalks (about 3/4 pound) fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces (2 1/2 cups) |
| 1 | egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water |
| Turbinado or granulated sugar (for sprinkling) |
1. Set the oven at 375 degrees. Have the parchment-lined baking sheet on hand.
2. On a lightly floured counter, roll the dough into a 13-inch circle. Transfer it to the baking sheet; it's okay if it hangs over the edge a little. Leaving a 3-inch border all around, sprinkle the 1/4 cup ground almonds in a circle in the center.
3. In a large bowl, rub the orange rind into the sugar. Stir in the tapioca flour or cornstarch and salt. Add the rhubarb and toss to coat it all over.
4. Spread the rhubarb over the circle of almonds. Fold the outside rim of dough over the fruit, pleating as necessary to form a round. Press the edge gently to seal the pleats. Brush the edge with the egg mixture. Sprinkle with turbinado or granulated sugar.
5. Bake the galette for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling in the center and the crust is golden brown. Set the galette on a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into slices.