…because summer is such a hard habit to break!

Fare thee well, summer, but just before I officially express my sorrow, concerning your all too soon departure, I think I will sit and savor the lingering ripe peaches you’ve recently sent my way.  You’d better cue the music.  I picked up about ten last-of-the-season peaches from the farmer’s market a couple weeks ago.  They were harvested a little early and tasted a bit under-ripe, but with a little bubbles-inspired creativity on a chilly afternoon, some magic happened.  And I know it has been a while since I last posted, but I’ve got some pretty good excuses for my absence…

Proudly grown by Ela Family Farms, these peaches hail from Hotchkiss, Colorado.  The almost ripe peaches actually gave the galette a firmer texture, a blessing in disguise.  Riding Colorado’s proverbial fall mood swing, along with our trending weather patterns, I have found myself vacillating between wearing sandals and thumbing fashion magazines for riding boots.  Making sangria and dreaming of pumpkin spice lattes.  Sunning on the back porch and selecting yarn for my next chunky scarf.   Our garden has also been in what I’ll call an “indecisive panic mode” for about two weeks now.  An early fall frost sent our red, ripe tomatoes directly off the vine and into the Vitamix, but our late plantings of radishes, arugula, and parsley are still thriving.  This particular recipe bridges the gap between that slow, lazy sweetness of summer and invites the cozy, spiced warmth of fall.

What exactly is a galette?  It is basically a free-form tart or pie.  Widely used in French cooking, galettes provide a rustic, crisp crust and are much less pretentious than a formal tart.  Don’t fret that you won’t be able to bake this simple, rustic galette because peach season has ended.  Substitute fresh peaches with other stone-fruits, pears, apples, or berries that are in season right now.  Galettes can also be prepared sweet or savory; I am going to tinker around with a chanterelle and caramelized onion version this week, since I happen to have some leftover mushrooms from my recent trip to Oregon.

Peach Sage Galette

Ingredients for the filling:

• 4 to 5 yellow peaches, pitted, and sliced [slightly under-ripe, if possible]
• juice of one lemon
• 2 teaspoons good quality vanilla extract
• 1 heaping tablespoon finely chopped, fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 to 3 tablespoons raw sugar
• lemon zest for garnish [optional}

Ingredients for the crust {yields two crusts}:

• 2 cups  flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, cold and cubed
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons cold milk
• 1 egg, beaten, for brushing the crust
• 1 tablespoon raw sugar, for garnish

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the pitted, sliced peaches, lemon juice, vanilla extract, sage, and raw sugar.  Set aside.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
4. Pour into a food processor.
5. Add the cubed butter and “pulse” the processor, until 1/4″ sized lumps of butter are visible.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk.  Add to the flour mixture and pulse just until incorporated.
7. Remove dough from the processor and form into a ball.  Divide into two balls; this recipe yields two crusts.  Bonus!
8. Store in refrigerator until needed, or you may safely freeze the other ball of pie crust until your next project.
9. When ready to roll out the dough, set out a large sheet of waxed or parchment paper and lightly flour the surface.  I like to roll my dough on floured paper because I have more control, when lifting it onto the baking sheet.
10. Set the ball of dough on the floured paper.  Roll and press the dough to form about a 12-inch circle.  You can always alter the size or quantity of these galettes.  Do not over-knead.
11. Using your hand or a flat spatula, slide under the waxed paper and lift.
12. Flip the dough-side down onto a floured, rimmed baking sheet.  Carefully lift the wax paper off the rolled-out dough.
13. Spoon the peach filling onto the center of the dough and carefully fold the outer edges of the dough, overlapping along the way.  Garnish with lemon zest.
14. Brush the exposed dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle raw sugar over the crust.
15. Place  in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the crust is browned.  I actually took a propane torch and caramelized the exposed fruit and browned the crust a little further.
16. Let cool for at least ten minutes and garnish with some vanilla bean ice cream.

Notes:  You may make the crust ahead of time and keep refrigerated.  This particular dough recipe yields two crusts – one for now and one to freeze for later.  I use this versatile dough recipe for my pies and for quiches.  The frozen crust will keep in the freezer up to two months, if stored properly.  If you feel a little lazy or are short on time, a store-bought 9-inch pie crust will substitute nicely.

Yes, as a household, we are still awaiting the delivery of our counter tops.  Until our kitchen renovation is completed, we continue to employ our outdoor grill, the bathtub, and the camping stove as functional appliance substitutes.  In fact, I made this peach galette entirely on the back porch, baking it in our outdoor Weber grill; however, I have adapted this recipe for those of you, who have an actual ovens in your kitchens!  Goes to show that with some Pollyanna-inspired ingenuity, good things can happen.

Always seeking out a cocktail or wine pairing opportunity, I actually found the inspiration for a simple cocktail, while rummaging in my refrigerator door.  Prosecco and peaches are a classic combination:  bellinis are comprised simply of peach purée and a healthy dose of the aforementioned sparkling wine from Italy.  How to make this refreshing, bubbly treat?  Take one pitted peach and blend it until smooth.  Don’t even bother peeling it.  Depending upon the peach’s ripeness, add a little agave nectar or a squeeze of lemon to balance the acidity.  Spoon a dollop of the purée into a martini glass or Champagne flute and slowly top with dry bubbly, like Mionetto Prosecco.  I garnished my bellini with a freshly picked pineapple sage leaf.  Gently squeeze the sage leaf in your hands to further release the aroma.

I am closing with some snapshots of the garden before last weekend’s freeze.  In one afternoon, the previous months of bounty aside, we harvested almost 200 tomatoes, 6 acorn squashes, over 100 peppers, 50 tomatillos, along with one amazing cantaloupe, a head of red cabbage, one giant Blue Hubbard squash, and too many herbs to dry at once.  I am gearing up to make some green tomato chutney this afternoon, before heading in for work.  And after enjoying two consecutive days off, I can say that I feel fully rested and ready to tackle almost anything.  Over the past three weeks, I have either been studying for my level two sommelier certification exam with the Court of Master Sommeliers, creating and crafting juice “mocktails” for a farm dinner, or stomping grapes and making wine for a week in Oregon.  More on those adventures soon.  So ready for a slower paced fall.  Way too ready for another peach bellini!