Strawberry, Salt and Pepper Galette

A Seasonal Supper for May to make the most of this years uber sweet strawbs

I do love baking, but I am not a pastry chef. I was trained very much on the other side of the kitchen, and the one pastry section that I did get to work on wasn’t viciously difficult or ritzy. So I definitely have a comfort zone with desserts which you are privy to via the recipes in this here newsletter. A galette falls firmly into that category, as one of the most rustic and easy little delights one can make. As far as technique goes its got enough to it that you still feel talented and clever after you’ve made it, but really it is a breezy and hugely satisfying bake. It’s particularly excellent to have in your back pocket at this time of year ready to be filled with all the best fruit of the season.

This years strawberries, thanks to the wonderful spring weather we have been enjoying, are already much sweeter than the average crop according to British growers. It’s really handy to be quite honest with you because I LOVE strawberries and am particularly into them in my pregnancy. Stuffing them in a shell of shaggy galette pastry yields a very, very special little treat - crispy, sugary, flakey crust filled with sweet, jammy berries, it’s an utter delight.

Strawberries are often seen with black pepper and for good reason. The pepper neutralises any tartness in the fruit whilst also bringing out the floral, grassy notes in the fruit. More than that, adding spice to simple things like strawberries can actually help YOU taste them better. The spiciness, even the mild kind, increases salivation in our mouths, which in turn helps flavour molecules interact with the taste cells in our taste buds. But we aren’t going to stop there. Adding salt to desserts is another little trick I’ve learned over the years. It lifts any sweet concoction, masking bitterness and again helping the palate to perceive more sweetness. They work together so well in our strawberry filling here, but you could also try them on plums, cherries and pineapple too.

Ok, enough rambling about salt and pepper from me. I really hope this becomes a useful recipe for you this summer and that you get as much joy out of that glistening red filling as I do.