Flavorful and Flaky PLUM GALETTE

SERVES 8-10 WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

FOR THE PASTRY DOUGH: • 3 cups [420 g] all-purpose flour • ¼ teaspoon table salt • 1½ sticks frozen unsalted butter

• ¼ cup [60 ml] ice water

FOR THE FILLING:

• 1 cup [200 g] sugar

• ½ cup [60 g] ground almonds • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 eggs, individually beaten • 5 tablespoons [70 g] unsalted butter, at cool room temperature

• 2½ pound [1.2 kg] black plums, halved, pitted, and cut into ½ inch

[12 mm] wedges

• ½ cup [150 g] apricot preserves for glazing the plums

• ¼ cup [25 g] sliced almonds

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

1. FOR THE DOUGH: Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor and grate the frozen butter into it. Pulse to process for 5 to 8 seconds; the butter should still be in visible pieces. Add the ice water and pulse again for about 5 more seconds, just until the dough comes together; the butter should still be visible. To make the dough by hand, whisk together the flour and salt in a bowl, add the grated butter and use two forks to blend the mixture together until it has a pebble-like quality. Add the ice water and mix until the dough comes together.

2. Remove the dough from the bowl and gather it into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 16 inch [40.5 cm] square, medium thick. Transfer the square to a large, heavy, well-floured baking sheet. Chill the dough until firm, about 20 minutes.

3. Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F [200°C].

4. FOR THE FILLING:

combine ½ cup [100 g] of the sugar with the ground almonds, flour, 1 beaten egg, and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a mixing bowl. Mix well and spread this mixture evenly over the dough to within 2 inch [5 cm] of the edge. Arrange the plum wedges on top and dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle all but 1 tablespoon of the remaining sugar over the fruit. Fold the edge of the dough up over the plums to create a 2 inch [5 cm] border. (If the dough feels cold and firm, wait for a few minutes until it softens to prevent it from cracking.) Brush the edges with the remaining beaten egg, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar, and top with the sliced almonds. 5. Bake for about 1 hour, until the plums are soft and the crust is golden brown. The juice from the plums will combine with the sugar and thicken; that is the best indication that the galette is fully cooked. If any juices have leaked onto the baking sheet, slide a knife under the galette to release it from the sheet. Evenly brush the apricot preserves over the hot fruit. Let galette cool to serve.