FOOD
Cast-Iron Blueberry Galette
Serves 8 friends
Level: Easy
Years ago, my husband (then boyfriend) surprised me with a weekend excursion aboard the Grace Bailey schooner in Maine. I'll never forget his marriage proposal on that boat, nor will I forget the chef's blueberry pie served in a cast-iron skillet. After a decade of fiddling, here is my take. "Galette" makes it sound so fancy!
INGREDIENTS
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 sticks unsalted, cold butter cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup cold water
2 pints blueberries
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
salt
3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 egg yolk, beaten
Combine 3 3/4 cups of flour with 3 1/2 sticks of the cubed butter, the white sugar and 1 tablespoon of salt.In a mixer fitted with paddle, Beat on low speed until butter is the size of pebbles (approximately 2 minutes). Poor in the water and beat until dough becomes lumpy (about 1 minute). Remove the dough and knead on a hard, floured surface, Form a ball. Roll the dough into a square big enough to cover and slightly overlap your cast-iron pan diameter. Dust with flour, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate over night.
Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, gently combine the blueberries with the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice and zest. In a second large bowl, mix the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of salt, the remaining butter and the remaining flour until crumbly.
After refrigeration, roll the dough into a 15" circle, about 1/2 inch thick. Place dough in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet and fit to bottom and sides of pan, allowing approximately 1" of dough to hang over the sides. Spoon the oat mixture over the dough in the bottom of the skillet and top with the blueberries. Fold the hanging dough over the blueberries, towards the center. Brush the top of the dough with the beaten egg yolk, then sprinkle with the granulated sugar. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove from over. adjust over to 300°, and cook for 15 minutes more.
Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.