Blackberry Galette

This is really a free-form pizza-like tart, which I made for the first time while we were doing the photography for How To Be A Domestic Goddess. We happened to have some polenta pastry left over and some spare blackberries in the fridge and I, suddenly rebelling against the planning and rule-following necessary to get all the food photographed, played around. This was the result. And really, you could use any fruit. I’d stick with the polenta or cornmeal pastry only because nothing soaks up the fruit’s juices better without going soggy.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

For the Pastry

• 60 grams plain flour
• 30 grams polenta
• 1 scant tablespoon caster sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 50 grams cold butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
• 2 tablespoons iced water (or enough to bind)

For the Filling

• 1 punnet blackberries (approx. 150g / 6oz)
• approx. 3 tablespoons caster sugar
• 3 heaped tablespoons creme fraiche (plus more to serve)

Method

In a food processor, pulse the dry Ingredients, then add the butter and shortening diced into small pieces.

Pulse briefly until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs, then add enough iced water to form a dough, pulsing gently to mix.

Form it into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge to rest for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/170°C Fan.

Roll the pastry out into a rough circle, transfer to a lined baking sheet and scatter blackberries on top, leaving a good 7cm / 2½ inches margin round the edge.

Sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons sugar, to taste, then dollop with creme- fraiche.

Sprinkle a further tablespoonful of sugar over, dampen the edges with water, then wrap them over themselves to form a knobbly, ramshackle rim and put in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through.