Playdate Special: Rosemary Fig Galette

My mother can turn out beautifully formed breads, elaborately frosted cakes, perfectly crimped pie crusts. My baked goods tend to be misshapen and listing, if not actually collapsing. Thankfully they taste better than they look.

Galettes -- simple free-form tarts -- are the perfect dessert for the imperfect baker. They're quick, easy, and adaptable. Stockpile some dough in the freezer, be it Pillsbury pie crusts or homemade pâte brisée. When you're in the mood for pie but not for fussiness, pull a hunk of dough out of the freezer, roll it out, top it with whatever fruit's in season, and stick it in the oven. Voilà -- a fresh, elegant, and delicious dessert.

Using enough dough for half a single-crust pie yields a small galette, just the right size to devour after dinner without leftovers tempting you for days.

This one combines figs, rosemary, and honey for a savory fruit pie. Tomorrow I'll have another galette capturing a last burst of summer flavor.

Rosemary Fig Galette

This makes a modestly sized galette, enough to serve six. If you want a larger dessert, double the recipe.

1/2 single pie crust (use a refrigerated crust, your favorite recipe, or the recipe for Pâte Brisée below)
2 cups sliced black figs
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary (about 2 4" sprigs)
3 tablespoons honey
water
1 tablespoon raw sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Warm honey briefly in the microwave so it pours easily. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out dough into a roughly 8" round or square and set on the parchment paper. Lightly brush dough with honey, setting aside remaining honey. Lay out fig slices in the center of the dough, leaving a 1 1/2- to 2-inch border. (With a round, you can invert a bowl in the center and press lightly to mark where the fruit will go. With a square, try marking the corners with pieces of fruit.) Drizzle figs with remaining honey and sprinkle rosemary on top. Carefully fold up the edges, pleating where necessary. Don't worry about making it too pretty!

Lightly brush the edges of the dough with water and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 28 minutes, until dough is golden brown and crispy.

Pâte Brisée

This makes enough for one double-crust pie, two single-crust pies, or four small galettes. It freezes perfectly: Just thaw on the counter for an hour before using.

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour (can replace with all-purpose flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup or more of ice water

Combine flour, salt, and butter in the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. If there are big chunks of butter let, pulse a few times more until the butter bits are about the same size.

With machine running, slowly pour ice water through the feed tube -- start with 1/4 cup. Pulse until the dough holds together and isn't too wet or sticky. You don't want to process it for more than 30 seconds or so. If you can squeeze a small amount together, it's done. If it's still crumbly, mix in a spoonful of water at a time with your hands.

Divide the dough into two equal balls and wrap them in plastic. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic, then chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before using.