Fresh Strawberry Pie

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So here is another recipe handed down from Catherine the Great. No, not the Empress of Russia, but my maternal grandmother--one of my first cooking influences, and for whom I am named.

I make this pie at least once a year. I can't keep myself from it as soon as I see quarts of local strawberries showing up on the tables at the farmers' markets. It is simple as pie (pun intended). A great buttery crust, plump, fresh, raw strawberries, and a quick jammy glaze. Fruit and high quality carbs: two tastes that should always go together. It is reminiscent of toast and jam, strawberry short cake, or dare I say...pop tart?

Since the ingredients are so sparse, the quality of the products you use is paramount. Make a wonderful, flaky, homemade pie crust, use a golden farm-fresh egg and great butter, and above all, use amazing strawberries at the height of their season. It just won't be that great otherwise. Also, because the strawberry flavor can vary a lot from sour to sweet, start slowly with the sugar and the lemon juice in the glaze, and adjust as necessary depending on the flavor of the strawberries you are using.

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Baked Apple Galette

I have some Mutzu apples from a recent trip to the farmers’ market. These apples are softball-huge and bright lime green, and immediately caught my attention as I was perusing the Migliorelli Farm stand. They are such gorgeous specimens it seemed blasphemous to peel them and cut them up into chunks—or toss them with a lot of sugar and seasoning.

This recipe is sort of a cross between an apple dumpling, rugelach, galette, with probably a little hamentashen thrown in there too. I love that it really just puts this outstanding apple on a pedestal (or buttery crust), to enjoy almost bare naked. It is simple and rustic, and great by itself—but even better with a scoop of my husband’s homemade vanilla ice cream.


	BAKED APPLE GALETTES By Catie Serves 4 For the crust: 2 cups AP flour 2 TBS sugar ¼ tsp salt 4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed 1 large egg, mixed with 1 TBS cold water additional cold water as needed For the filling: 2 large baking apples, cut in half lengthwise and cored 2 TBS dried currents or raisins 2 TBS calvados, brandy, eau-de-vie, or hot water 2 TBS pecans, toasted and finely chopped 2 TBS sugar ¼ tsp ground cinnamon Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat, parchment paper, or lightly butter. Put currents and brandy in a small bowl to soak for at least 10 minutes. Add dry ingredients to food processor, and pulse to combine. Add butter cubes to processor, and pulse until rough and crumbly, but uniform in texture, like coarse sand. Add egg mixed with water, pulse to combine. If needed, add cold water, a few drops at a time, just until dough comes together in a ball. Remove from food processor, knead just a few times by hand to make sure the dough is combined throughout. Section into four pieces, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Mix pecans sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and drained currents gently together. Roll out one of the balls of dough to 2” wider in diameter than the apple half. Transfer dough to baking sheet. Spoon ¼ of the pecan-current mixture in the center of the dough. Place one half of an apple, cut side down, on the mixture. Gently fold the edge of the dough, overlapping itself in several places up and around the apple. Repeat for remaining 3 galettes. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 350°F and continue to bake until the crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes more. Rotate baking sheet once during baking.

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Catie Baumer Schwalb is a chef, food writer and photographer, who splits her life between the city and the country. Not too long ago Catie was a New York City based actress and playwright for more than a decade. She has her Master of Fine Arts from the National Theater Conservatory, and her Grand Diplôme in classic culinary arts from the French Culinary Institute in New York City. ... Read More ≫

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