The very first thing I baked that was not a disaster was an apple pie. I was 20 and a university student studying at CARIMAC, on UWI’s Mona Campus and lived in a cosy apartment with minimalist 80s furniture in the 2001. It was my final year and I held down three part time media jobs while I took an extra course load so that I could finish my studies ahead of time. By day I was a full-time student, and during weekday breaks, nights and weekends, I was the prime time news weather reporter, the morning radio magazine producer and lotto draw host. I had a full life.
It was shortly before going off to university that I developed a passion for food and for cooking. Before then, my interest was restricted to hours of poring over my stepmother’s cookbooks and experimenting with juices and salads. In a Jamaican home, a teenage girl is expected to make a contribution to Sunday Lunch – or Sunday Dinner as we call it – usually in the form of making fresh juices from fruits in season or salads. On the Sundays when I managed to get away with not going to church – another must in many Jamaican homes- I was required to “keep an eye on the meat” which would usually be a pot roast that would need to be turned and a little water to be added at intervals. During these years, I never opened the oven. The oven was dark, hot and scary and I had no interest in it. I would experiment over a charcoal stove but never in an oven. That was until I had one of my own.
While I prepared my first apple pie in my cute apron, I thought to myself that in spite of being a totally feminist young woman who by then had 4 years solid media experience, I still wanted to bake all the time “when I grew up.” My career was important, but I also felt that a little kitchen domestication would add balance- though it would be long until I found it. As I put that pie in my oven, I thought, “One day, I will be doing this for my husband.”
Delicious honey from my father’s farm in Jamaica drizzled on Cream Cheese
There is something about baking that speaks to the most loving and nurturing aspects of feeding people. Maybe it is the apron, the flour all over you and the oh-so-cute oven mittens but baking for me is an entirely beautiful and ultra feminine experience. No offence to my many male friends who bake or are themselves pastry chefs, but for me, homemade sweet treats made by the woman of the house are simply sacred.
As and ode to the changing of the seasons, I made a Peach Crostata (summer) and an Apple Cinnamon Galette (autumn). It was the Apple Cinnamon Galette that spawned the wave of nostalgia above. “Crostata” is Italian for a rustic free form pie and “Galette” is French for the same. The dough yields two so you can call them either one you wish.
Recipe adapted from Ina Garten
Pastry (Yields 2 Crostatas or Galettes)
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 lb very cold unsalted butter
1/4 tablespoon ice cold water
Fillings
Peach Filling : (Yields enough for one crostata/galette)
4 ripe peaches, sliced into 1/4 inch thick wedges
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
15 g cold butter, diced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
Apple Cinnamon Filling : (Yields enough for one crostata/galette)
4 apples peeled, cored and cubed (2 granny smith, 1 golden delicious and 1 other)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
15 g cold butter, diced
Method
Preheat oven to 200C/400F
Place flour, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined. Take out of the flour mixture and toss the 1/2 pound butter cubes in it until coated. Dump all back into food processor. Pulse until butter is the size of peas. While motor is running, add all the iced water at once through feed tube. Keep pulsing to combine, stopping before the dough comes together.
Remove the bowl from processor and the blade then place the dough on a well floured surface. Form into two balls and wrap each in cling film (plastic wrap) and refrigerate for about 3 hours.
Once pastry is chilled, remove from refrigerator.
Combine the ingredients of the filling.
Roll the pastry dough out to a circular shape on a well floured surface to about 11 inched in diameter. Work quickly so that the butter does not melt too much as it will get very sticky. Transfer dough to a parchment lined- baking sheet. You will need one baking sheet per crostata.
Place filing in the centre, leaving about 1 .5 inch around the edges. Fold edges over the top lapping over as illustrated in the pictures. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
CHEF’S NOTE: My lovely wife baked both of them but only one made it to her photo “studio.” I still don’t see why she is making a fuss about the other one because to me they look the same. The difference is not in the look of them, but the taste and quite frankly my belly agrees. The short story is that it just took a detour on its way to the studio and again, my belly agrees. Serve warm with cream or Mascarpone cheese drizzled with honey.
Love love love this recipe! I’m a big apple pie lover, but so intimidated by making the perfect pie crust. I love the idea of an apple cinnamon crostata with the dough being folded over the filling. Feels way more doable. This recipe is a keeper!
Arva, thanks so much! It is the perfect fool proof apple pie because of the crust is so much more straightforward! Hoping to see it your on your midnight dessert table sometime soon 🙂
This looks really delicious. I am not the biggest apple fan but this is definitely worth trying.
The combination of the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cheese & honey is sensational. Sometimes you might not like how one ingredient feels in your mouth but tasting them in the right combinations can take you to another level!
Such timely post, I have peaches in the fridge and its waiting to get some yummy pampering. I don’t need to cook the filling right? Just mix?
Thats right Abigail… no need to cook filling. This makes for a lovely texture as well.
Love it Kari, I have always had a soft country spot for galettes and love the no-fuss look they have, but you have brought the feel right home with these mouthwatering photos and this very relative story 🙂 Loved and enjoyed every bit of it 🙂
Dima, you and I have this dream of relaxed country kitchen living and this is right there up with it! Thanks for the kind comments about the photos and I am thrilled you related to the story 🙂
love the nostalgia, it makes the crostata come to life even more.
Francine, it wasn’t deliberate or contrived. I just sat and it came out… I was a bit hesitant as to where it was all coming from at first but I just went with the flow. Happy you liked it!
yah me too! it was actually going to be years before I discovered a lil bit of kitchen would actually gimme a lot of balance! i love fruit pies… and especially one that can be put together so rustically 🙂
Rajani, so cool that you identify! Long are the days since the wide-eyed university student feminism eh? Yes- love that ” a bit of kitchen would actually gimme a lot of balance!”
Great recipes…will certainly be book marking these to try out…
Thanks Shyzie! Do come back and tell us how it goes!
Crostata is so versatile to make 🙂 The pictures look yum! But no peaches or apples at home but I have some pears….now i know what should be done of them! 🙂
The pears will do just as nicely MJ!
The photography looks delicious! Great way to use up extra fruits!
Thanks Tasmeea… happy that the photography entices you 🙂
I love these recipes. I haven’t made a crust like this yet, but its on the list. Indeed, you certainly had a very full life! I can only imagine the struggle for balance! I can totally relate about baking – I adore a rustic looking pie or tart with a special home made taste, made with love. I really enjoyed this post. I’m sure I knew you in a past life 🙂
Lyn.. you should bump it up the list because from the looks of things, it is right up your alley. I do think I really crave intensely packed schedules 🙂
You indeed live a full life! I am a huge fan of apple desserts and this looks tasty. I love that its rustic and free formed.
I do! I give thanks for that daily…didn’t realize it started so early until I wrote this post. It is divine. I used fresh cinanmon bark from Zanzibar that I ground specifically for the pie so it was amazingly spectacular! The mixture of apples creates a lovely and diverse texture making every bite a little different.
I’ve never had galette or a crostata before, but this looks soooo good that I’m going to have to try it! Also, bravo on being able to manage THREE jobs while being a college student. Wow! I thought I was busy!
Keisha, you will be really amazed at how much you will like it and how much you will make it a constant go-to dessert with fruits in season.
I’ve never made a galette before, but this looks really delicious.