The Sweet Dark Berries of Late June and Early July

Last year the county finally repaved our road. It had been decades and really needed it! In order to do the job, they sent crews around in advance to clear brush and bushes that were too close to the road. In the process, they cleared quite a bit of our olallieberries, the sweet dark berries that look like super large (or long!) blackberries. They ripen about three weeks before the blackberries and are delicious, having blackberry flavor, but just a bit different.

A few days ago I made a galette with some of them, very similar to THIS one, but with an added tablespoon of cornstarch, plus three tablespoons dry bread crumbs. The sugar was brown and there was no nutmeg or citrus zest, but I did paint the bottom of the crust (the part not folded up over the fruit) with orange marmalade before adding the fruit mixture. The added bread crumbs help thicken the juices...olallieberries are very juicy!

It was even better than the three berry one, but there were a few more seeds! Sweetie loves these fruit galettes...he even paid attention to when the berries ripened this year and hinted that a galette would be a great way to use them. The whipped cream on the side was a good idea (because whipped cream is almost always a good idea, right?) as it mellowed the intense berry flavor a bit.

As you can see, this is an easy and quick way to enjoy the fruits of the season. Stone fruits work well, berries work well, and combined they are wonderful. Get a taste of summer...try making a galette! Because you start with already made crust dough, it goes really quickly if you are using berries that only need a quick rinse and dry like blueberries or blackberries or...olallieberries.

Olallieberry  Galette

enough pie crust dough for one crust - your favorite recipe or use (as I do) on Pillsbury Ready Crust crust.
2 pints olallieberries ( or blackberries)
sugar to taste (I used about 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs, unseasoned
1 tablespoon flour
2-3 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon of water

Take the pie crust dough and, on a lightly floured surface, roll it into a circle about 12 - 14 inches in diameter. Gently fold the dough in half and in half again, then move to a large baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Gently unfold the crust to a full circle again.

Wash, rinse and dry the fruit. . Set aside.

In a large bowl stir together the sugar, salt, cornstarch, and flour. Add the berries and toss gently with your clean hands to lightly coat the berries. 

Use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to spread the marmalade over the inner 6-8 inches of the prepared dough circle. Pile the mixture over the marmalade into the center of the prepared crust circle leaving a few inches all around the outside uncovered.

Wet your hands and begin folding the outer few inches of dough up over the piled berries, using the dampness on your hands to seal the pleats as you go. Dampen again as needed. Bring the dough up and pleat it until all of the outer dough has been placed up and over the fruit.

Brush the galette with the beaten egg. If desired sprinkle with sanding or regular sugar (optional).

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until the crust is golden, about 20 minutes. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6 - 8.