Rhubarb Galette

A galette is a type of French pastry which may be served sweet or savory. Don't be intimidated by the "fancy" name; it's really just a pie without the pie tin. Think of it as a rustic option for those of you who may not be as confident with your pie crust rolling/pinching/trimming abilities.

This dessert features rhubarb, a vegetable that too often gets a bad rap. But I think it's probably because most people have never had a really tasty rhubarb treat, aside from, perhaps, strawberry rhubarb pie (which doesn't really count as being a rhubarb dessert since the strawberries usually outnumber and overpower the rhubarbs). It's true that rhubarb does not usually result in the sweetest of desserts. It leans towards tart and tangy rather than sweet. But with the proper combination of ingredients, you'll get a dessert even the sweetest tastebuds will love.

This galette is an excellent introduction to rhubarb. This filling is tart but tempered bythe hint of orange, and the crust is sweet. And if you want an extra kick of sweetness, make the orange glaze to drizzle over the top.

Rhubarb Galette
Recipe by Kelly
Pictures by Caroline

Orange Pastry Dough:
1 2/3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, chilled
1 extra large egg
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon orange peel

1. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor.*
2. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Pulse until the butter is cut into very tiny pieces, about 30 seconds.
3. With the food processor running, pour the egg, orange juice and orange peel into the dough. Process the dough until the mixture wraps itself around the blade, about 1 minute.
4. Turn the pastry dough onto a large pieces of plastic wrap. Shape into a flat disk and wrap tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator until firm before using, about 2 hours.
   
5. Roll dough into a large circle, about 1/4 inch thick.
   

*If you have a food processor, I'm sure it will work quite well to blend these ingredients. If you don't have one, use Kitchen Aid or Bosch type mixer or your fingers.

Filling:
1 lb rhubarb, sliced into 1/2 pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon orange peel
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons flour

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. In a large bowl, combine rhubarb, sugar, orange and lime juice. Let stand about 15 minutes. Drain rhubarb, reserving juice in a separate bowl. Set aside to use for orange glaze, if desired.
   
3. Add orange peel and flour to rhubarb and stir until lightly rhubarb is lightly coated.
4. Pour rhubarb onto the center of pastry crust, leaving a 2 inch border. Gently fold edges onto rhubarb, pleating as you go.
   
5. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender when pierces with a fork. Serve with optional orange glaze and vanilla ice cream.
   

Orange Glaze (optional)

1. Boil reserved rhubarb liquid in a small saucepan, until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 15 to 18 minutes.*
2. Drizzle over top of galette.

*Be careful not to boil too long or your glaze will turn into a tasty, but very firm, candied orange caramel.