Bakes & More   +  recipe

rhubarb and basil galette

I make no apology for adding to the legion of rhubarb recipes that I've read recently.

It is, after all, the time of year for for it and rhubarb is quite possibly the fruit that I get most excited about.
I think it's because rhubarb is something that I never thought that I'd actually end up liking. It wasn't, for whatever reason, a food that figured strongly in my childhood. I'm pretty sure I didn't actually try rhubarb until I was at least in my late-teens. No doubt my mother thought that my notoriously picky eating habits would never be up to the challenge. Now I feel like I have to make up for all that missed time.

A galette really is the lazy baker's pie isn't it? There's no need to carefully press your pastry into a pan or to blind bake anything or to neatly trim the crust. All you do is roll out your dough, throw whatever you fancy on top and fold over the edges in as rustic a manner as you see fit.

I found a ball of pastry lurking in the bottom of the freezer. I can't remember what it was left over from but I knew that it would be the perfect vehicle for my latest haul of rhubarb.

The touch of basil in the filling is a nice complement to the tartness of the rhubarb, a fragrant note which adds another dimension of flavour. Basil is by no means the only herb that would work here; mint would be an obvious choice, rosemary or thyme would also be delicious.

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Rhubarb and basil galette Serves 6
Ingredients

  • 250g rhubarb, chopped into 1 inch chunks
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 75g - 115g (1/3 - 1/2 cup) caster/granulated sugar, depending on taste
  • Small handful of basil leaves, chopped finely
  • Approx 200g short crust pastry*
  • 1 egg beaten

Cooking Directions
  1. In a bowl, combine the rhubarb, lemon zest and juice, sugar and basil and set aside.
  2. Roll out the pastry to the thickness of about 1/4 inch in a rough circle.
  3. Place the pastry on a baking tin and spoon the filling into the middle leaving a border of a couple of inches. Fold over the edges of the pastry, pinching together the excess so that all the filling is contained. Place in the fridge and chill for 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Brush the pastry with beaten egg.
  5. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the rhubarb is cooked through and the pastry is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.
* I realise it's annoying that I used a weight of pastry; if it makes it easier, this Delia recipe will probably give you the right quantity. It's roughly enough pastry for a a tart/quiche that would serve 6 - 8 but this kind of recipe doesn't really demand much precision. If you have a bit more or a bit less pastry than so be it.