Strawberry Rhubarb Galette with Cornmeal Crumb Topping

I prepared this post waaayyyy back in May, but neglected it until now.  So, here you go: a springtime post in late summer!

With spring comes the anticipated arrival of both strawberries and rhubarb.  The two are, of course, a classic pairing in American desserts, and have been on my mind since I first saw those dark red shoots laying wait in the produce aisle. (My farmers' market hasn't had them yet.)  Strawberries made their appearance a while ago, but just recently have I been seeing ones that are grown more locally, rather that far off places like Mexico or Chile.  Though, where I live, Mexico may actually be local depending on where they're grown!

I try to buy organic strawberries whenever I can because strawberries are ranked #6 on the list of "dirty dozen".  That is, foods with the most pesticide and chemical fertilizer contamination when "conventionally" grown.  If you have to make a choice about what foods to buy organic (and I often do) this list is an important guide.

I was pleasantly surprised at the produce in my tiny "super"mar

ket this weekend.  Notorious for being under stocked with fresh foods, and quite often carrying items that are at or near expiration, not to mention looking and tasting like they're on their way out, our little market was noticeably well stocked, and on Memorial Day no less.  I ended up walking out with a full cart of fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy, and lots of inspiration for delicious recipes to celebrate the bounty of spring.

Tonight is Tuesday Supper, so I decided to make a strawberry rhubarb dessert.  And since my current pastry obsession is galette dough, what I've offered up is a strawberry rhubarb galette with cornmeal crumb topping— it's sweet, tart, flaky, buttery, smooth, crunchy, and delightful!  The cornmeal is a really fun addition to a crumb topping, but if you're not into crunchy, go ahead and substitute regular flour.

So, it really does look like pizza, doesn't it?

As a side note, take a look at David Lebovitz's post Rhubarb Tart FAIL.  He was sorely disappointed that his tart (which I'm sure tasted fantastic) looked an awful lot like pizza.  As I took mine from the oven, I had to laugh.  It looks exactly like pizza!  Even more so with crumb the topping.  But, it tasted really good, and that's what really matters right, at least here in my home kitchen?

Make one yourself and let me know if you figure out how to make it look like something other than a pizza.  Short of putting a top crust on it, that is...

Strawberry Rhubarb Galette with Cornmeal Crumb Topping

1 recipe galette dough (refer to the recipe for Spring Vegetable Galette from April, 2009)

1 lb. rhubarb, cut into 1" pieces

1 1/2 lb. strawberries, stems removed and quartered

2 - 6 Tbs. evaporated cane sugar, divided

3 tsp. cornstarch mixed with water

3 heaping Tbs. corn meal or polenta

3 heaping Tbs. flour

4 Tbs. brown sugar

3 Tbs. ice cold butter

2 tsp. sugar (optional)

Begin by preparing the galette dough, which will need to rest in the fridge for a hour.

While the dough rests, prepare the fruit.  Place the cut fruit and 2 Tbs. of sugar into a large sauce pan over medium-low heat.  Cover and cook, stirring frequently, for about 30 minutes.  The fruit mixture should become thick with lots of juices in the pan.  Taste the fruit to judge sweetness.  Depending on the sweetness of your berries, you may need between 2 and 4 more tablespoons of sugar.  In this case, I used about 4 Tbs.  Continue to stew the fruit, adjusting sugar as you go, until the fruit if soft and falling apart.

Slowly add your cornstarch and water mixture, one teaspoon at a time, until the fruit mixture reaches a thick, spoonable texture— not as thick as jam, but not soupy, or the juices will flood your crust.

After the dough has rested for an hour, turn it out onto a well floured sheet of parchment paper.  Beginning in the center of the dough ball and using the palm of your hand, gently pat it out toward the edges to form a rough circle.  Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to form a 12 inch circle.  Once your circle s formed, transfer the parchment paper to baking sheet.  You can bake your galette right on the parchment paper, or if you prefer, flip it over (carefully!) onto the un-greased baking sheet.

Leaving at least a 1 1/2 inch space around the edge of your dough, spoon the fruit filling onto the center of the dough.  Gently fold the edges of the dough up over the fruit, pinching and crimping it together as you go to form a pocketed edge.  Your galette will look like a pie whose crust was too large and fell in over the rim.

Prepare the crumb topping by placing the cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, and butter in a small bowl.  Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture forms a coarse crumb.  Sprinkle the crumb topping over the fruit mixture evenly.  If desired, sprinkle the edges of the galette dough with up to 2 tsp. of granulated sugar.

Bake in a 400 degree oven until the dough is a golden brown and the center is bubbly.

Remove and allow to cool for about 15 minutes so fruit may set.  It's delicious on its own or served with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.