PEAR AND WALNUT GALETTE

PEAR AND WALNUT GALETTE image

Yield 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

CRUST
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
11 tablespoons (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5 tablespoons (or more) buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FILLING
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 medium-size ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, halved, cored, each half cut into 3 wedges
8 tablespoons walnut pieces, toasted
Vanilla ice cream

Steps:

FOR CRUST: Combine flour, sugar and salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter and process, using on/off turns, until butter is reduced to pea-size pieces. Add 5 tablespoons buttermilk and vanilla. Blend until moist clumps form, adding more buttermilk by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap; chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Preheat oven to 425. Roll out crust on floured surface to 14-inch round; trim to 12 1/2-inch round. Slide dough round onto rimless baking sheet and chill while preparing filling. FOR FILLING: Melt butter in heavy 12-inch-diameter nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and whisk until mixture is smooth and starts to bubble. Simmer until mixture thickens, whisking occasionally, about 4 minutes. Turn off heat. Arrange pear wedges on their sides in 2 concentric circles in sugar mixture, crowding wedges to fit. Sprinkle with 6 tablespoons walnuts. Cook over medium heat until pears are just tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Place crust atop pears in skillet; tuck crust edges in around pears. Cut several slits in crust for steam to escape. Bake galette until crust is deep brown, about 38 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Invert onto ovenproof platter. Rearrange any pears that have moved. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons walnuts. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. If desired, rewarm in 350 oven 15 minutes before serving.) Serve galette warm or at room temperature with ice cream.