APPLE GALETTE

Steps:

• Measure the flour and salt (if including) into a bowl. The butter should be cold and firm, but not hard. Cut it into 1/4- to 1/2-inch cubes and put about half of it into the bowl. Work it into the flour with your fingertips, lightly rubbing and breaking the flour-coated pieces of butter into small bits, until the mixture is roughly the texture of oatmeal or cornmeal. Add the rest of the butter and work it quickly into the dough until the pieces of butter are about half their original size. Dribble the water into the dough while tossing the mixture with a fork. Keep adding water only until the dough begins to clump and hold together when you squeeze a handful. You may not need the full 1/2 cup. Divide the dough in two and gather each part into a ball. Wrap each ball in plastic and flatten it into a disk. Let the dough rest, refrigerated, for an hour or so. You may want to freeze the second disk of dough for future use.
• When ready to make the tart, let the dough warm up at room temperature for 15 minutes or so and preheat the oven to 400°F. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a rough circle about 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the pastry to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate while preparing the apples.
• Peel, core, and slice the apples and toss with 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar. Arrange the apples on the pastry, in overlapping concentric circles or freely piled on top, however you like, but leaving a 1 1/2-inch border of dough around the whole circumference. Fold the dough up over the apples, and brush the rim of dough lightly with beaten egg. Sprinkle sugar over the dough and apples; use more or less, depending on the tartness of the apples. Bake in the lower part of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until the fruit is tender and the pastry is golden brown and slightly caramelized at the edges. Slide the tart off the pan to cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature-with softly whipped cream, if you like.
• Juicy stone fruits such as peaches, nectarines, apricots, and plums make wonderful galettes. To help absorb the juices and keep the pastry bottom crisp, sprinkle a mixture of 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1 tablespoon ground almonds on the pastry before topping with fruit.
• Apple galette is delicious when you spread the rolled-out dough with homemade apricot jam before arranging the apples on top. After baking, brush the apples with warm apricot jam for a beautiful glaze.