This is another dish I made last week. It may not be a traditional galette, since I used a basic pie crust instead of puff pastry or a crepe, but it's close enough for me. We like galettes because they suit the smaller size of our family, and also because we enjoy the higher crust to fruit ratio than we'd get with a fully-filled double-crust pie.
Do all of you know what ground cherries are? I didn't until last spring, when we decided to grow some. Also known as cape gooseberries and husk tomatoes, they are members of the nightshade family (as are potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, etc.) The plants bear small yellow fruits that grow in paper husks similar to those on tomatillos. The flavor is unique. They are sweet, and have been described as tasting a little like pineapple and a little like Froot Loops. Believe me, they taste better than Froot Loops. The are commonly used to make jelly, jam, sauces and pie fillings, but there are many other ways to serve them.
Note: I combined them with some of the spiced apple slices I canned earlier this fall. The spices and sugar in the apples' syrup was just right to season and sweeten the ground cherries. If you don't have canned apples, try using two apples, peeled and sliced, a bit of ground cinnamon and ground cloves, a half cup of water and sugar to taste. Cook the apples with the ground cherries until thick, then proceed from there.
Apple and Ground Cherry Galette
1 pint canned spiced apple slices with syrup (see note above for substitution)
1 cup fresh or frozen ground cherries, husks removed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 homemade or prepared crust for a 9-inch pie
Heat oven to 375°F.
Combine apples with syrup and ground cherries in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until mixture is thick and no longer watery. Remove from heat, then stir in vanilla. Set mixture aside.
Roll pie crust to a 12-inch diameter. Place on a pizza stone or large baking sheet.
Spoon apple-ground cherry filling in center of crust, spreading to within 2 inches of outer edges. Fold edges of dough up and over filling, overlapping as shown and leaving a circle of filling uncovered.
Lightly brush crust with water and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired (I did not do so this time). Bake at 375°F for about 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cut into wedges to serve.
Makes 6 servings.
