Fresh Apple Galette

It's finally FALL y'all!  I am so excited it's here.  I've been waiting all summer long for it to get here.  Don't get me wrong, I like summer too.  But fall means fresh apples!  I love apples almost as much as I love strawberries and my love of strawberries is legendary!

I like the super tart baking apples the best.  Romes, Granny Smith, MacIntires to name a few.  They're crisp and just have that tart bite that reminds me of sweet tarts.  One of my absolute favorite candies growing up.  Even though I don't make it apple picking every year, I still make lots of apple things.

This is the first of those recipes.  A fresh apple galette.  What is a galette, you might ask?  Its like a free-form open faced pie.  I think galettes are easier to make than a pie.  They aren't meant to look perfect and taste the same.  A perfect dessert for a busy family.

Fresh Apple Galette

2 Rome apples, cored peeled and thinly sliced
2 MacIntosh apples, cored peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tablespoons water
sugar to sprinkle

Dough Recipe

1 cup flour
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-4 tablespoons ice cold water

In a large heavy bottomed saute pan combine apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Cook over medium low heat about 5-6 minutes, until juicy but still crisp.  In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch with lemon juice.  Slowly whisk into apples.  Cook about a minute until juices thicken.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile combine flour and salt in a medium bowl, whisking to combine.  Use a pastry cutter, two forks or your fingers to work shortening into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of water and work into dough, adding more water until dough just comes together.

Form dough into a round disk, place on floured countertop and roll into a rough 12 inch circle.  Move to parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Mound apples into center of dough, spreading slightly.  Going round in a circle fold dough towards center overlapping slightly.

Brush entire galette with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar.  Bake 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden and bubbly.  Remove from oven, cool slightly and serve.