I sometimes grocery shop as if I’m buying trinkets, rather than soon to be consumed goods. That’s probably why I buy fruits that have less sense, like tiny, currant grapes. Add these little grapes to an orzo salad, a charcuterie board, and even topped on a cream cheese bagel. I recently found currant grapes and did all of these things. I had enough to spare for a galette.
Galette is the unfussy cousin to the pie. It’s more crust than filling so you have to pick something that will stand out. When you roll the crust out, it’s not necessary for it to be perfectly round. It’s also nice to have it out of the oven in less than 20 minutes as opposed to an hour for a pie. This galette capitalizes on currant grapes’ little pop of flavor. Their sweetness goes up one notch. The ricotta becomes a custard pillow and completes the transition between flaky pastry and juicy fruit. I add feta and salt to balance the sweetness. Don’t skip the salt and sugar because both will hit your tongue just right.
Riff on this with more or less filling, add pitted cherries, or sprinkle it with basil and balsamic syrup. Go more cheesy and call it an appetizer. If you stick with it as a dessert, serve it with whipped cream or sweetened crème fraîche.
Ricotta and Grape Galette
Ingredients:
• 1 rolled out pie crust
• 1 cup ricotta
• 1/4 cup feta
• 2 tablespoon half and half plus more for brushing pastry
• 1 tablespoon honey and more for drizzling
• 3/4 cup currant grapes or halved seedless red grapes
• Turbinado sugar and flaky salt for sprinkling
Directions:
Preheat the oven to whatever temperature the baking instructions for your pie recipe indicate, usually between 400-450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Put the pie crust on the baking sheet.
In a small food processor or bullet blender, add the ricotta, feta, half and half and honey. Blend until smooth. Using from 2/3 cup to 1 cup of the ricotta mixture, according to preference, spread it onto the pie crust. Start in the middle and push out towards the edges. Leave the outer 2-inch circumference bare.
Drizzle the ricotta spread with honey, up to a tablespoon. Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of that. Next place the grapes all over the top of the ricotta spread. Don’t crowd them completely as they will expand a bit but they will be close together.
Fold the sides over, making a hexagon or a circle if you prefer. It will be open in the middle of the pastry with the filling exposed.
Brush the pastry with a bit of half and half, and then sprinkle the folded over crust with several pinches of turbinado sugar. Bake for 17-20 minutes. When it is well browned, remove from the oven and let cool before serving.
Serves 5-7.
Mariko Jackson writes about family and food. Email her at thelittlefoodie@gmail.com.
