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1
Measure the flour and salt (if including) into a bowl.
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2
The butter should be cold and firm, but not hard.
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3
Cut it into 1/4- to 1/2-inch cubes and put about half of it into the bowl.
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4
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.
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5
Add the rest of the butter and work it quickly into the dough until the pieces of butter are about half their original size.
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6
Dribble the water into the dough while tossing the mixture with a fork.
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7
Keep adding water only until the dough begins to clump and hold together when you squeeze a handful.
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8
You may not need the full 1/2 cup.
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9
Divide the dough in two and gather each part into a ball.
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10
Wrap each ball in plastic and flatten it into a disk.
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11
Let the dough rest, refrigerated, for an hour or so.
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12
You may want to freeze the second disk of dough for future use.
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13
When ready to make the tart, let the dough warm up at room temperature for 15 minutes or so and preheat the oven to 400F.
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14
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a rough circle about 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick.
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15
Transfer the pastry to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate while preparing the apples.
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16
Peel, core, and slice the apples and toss with 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar.
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17
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.
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18
Fold the dough up over the apples, and brush the rim of dough lightly with beaten egg.
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19
Sprinkle sugar over the dough and apples; use more or less, depending on the tartness of the apples.
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20
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.
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21
Slide the tart off the pan to cool on a rack.
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22
Serve warm or at room temperaturewith softly whipped cream, if you like.
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23
Juicy stone fruits such as peaches, nectarines, apricots, and plums make wonderful galettes.
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24
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.
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25
Apple galette is delicious when you spread the rolled-out dough with homemade apricot jam before arranging the apples on top.
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26
After baking, brush the apples with warm apricot jam for a beautiful glaze.
