balsamic thyme strawberry galette. homemade sweets.

Balsamic Thyme Strawberry Galette 

I'm savory by nature. I always add a little extra salt to my granola recipes, and would choose good crusty bread over cake on most days. So when I make sweets, I like that extra balance of savory. That salty punch or lemony acid that cuts the sugary sweetness. 

This recipe is my type of dessert. Low maintenance whole wheat crust encircles a pile of balsamic marinated strawberries, topped with fresh thyme sprigs. My enthusiasm for this recipe comes after a week of summer camp cooking for young kids. I was ready for something complex and earthy, and definitely not pasta. 

The berries in this recipe came from our second everbearing strawberry crop this summer, and they are even more sweet and shiny red. Strawberries are such a summer pinnacle, and they marry incredibly well with savory additions like balsamic vinegar and fresh thyme. The crust for the galette (fancy word for a low-key pie), is made with mostly whole wheat flour, which turns out just as flaky and buttery than most white flour recipes and oh so hearty. I would experiment with a dough made with 100% whole wheat flour, or a combination with other flours, like emmer, rye, or spelt flours.

Enough talk, let's eat:

  

Balsamic Thyme Strawberry Galette

makes 1 12-inch galette


For the whole wheat crust:

(makes 2 crusts, one for later)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup white pastry flour1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (1/2 tsp dried thyme)
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted (or salted if preferred) butter, cold, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup ice water, plus more if needed

For the filling:

2 pints fresh strawberries
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
6 tbsp honey

2 tsp flour
1 tsp sugar 

1 egg, beaten
1-2 tbsp turbinado sugar

2-3 thyme sprigs

Procedure: 

Measure the flours into the processor, and add the salt, pepper, and thyme. Add the butter, cut into cubes. Pulse three times to lightly mix the ingredients or until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining. (To mix by hand, combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and then cut in the butter with a pastry blender or knives).

With machine running, add ice water through feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into flattened disks. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. 

Slice strawberries, toss in bowl with balsamic vinegar, thyme & honey. Let sit for 30 minutes or longer, up to 24 hours. 

Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll out the dough to a 1/8 inch thickness to make a rough circle 14-inches in diameter. Lay crust flat on cookie sheet or cast iron pan. Strain strawberries, reserving the liquid. 

Combine the flour and sugar, and sprinkle around the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border.

Mound strawberries on top of the dough, then fold dough over, overlapping where necessary. Brush dough with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown & bubbling, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Meanwhile, place remaining balsamic & honey in a small saucepan, adding 2 more tablespoons of balsamic and 3 more tablespoons of honey. Simmer until thickened, 15-30 minutes. 

Remove galette from oven & top with fresh thyme. Drizzle with balsamic honey reduction and feast.