Galette: the pie's rustic, laid-back cousin. They're perfect for every season, but something about the flavor of ripe strawberries and fresh basil wrapped in flakey, homemade pie crust and topped with vanilla ice cream feels perfect for summer evenings. 

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Total time: 120 minutes
Active time: 30 minutes

Bake time: 60 minutes

Makes 1 galette

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Ingredients for the Dough: 

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2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

10 tbsp (1+1/4 sticks) unsalted butter

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Ingredients for Filling and Assembly:

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3 cups ripe strawberries, halved

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 large basil leaves, cut into thin strips

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 large egg, beaten

2 tbsp coarse sugar

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Instructions:

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1.) Place the butter for the pie dough in the freezer and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

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2.) In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, and kosher salt. Mix briefly until combined.

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3.) After 10-15 minutes in the freezer, cut the butter into small cubes, roughly 1/4 of an inch wide. Add to the dry ingredients, and using your fingers, press the butter into the dry ingredients until no large chunks remain.

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4.) Pour 5 tbsp of very cold water over the surface of the mixture. Use your hands to press the ingredients into a dough. Add more cold water, one teaspoon at a time, as needed until all dry ingredients are just incorporated, but dough is not wet or sticky. Knead dough a few times to form a smooth ball. Flatten into a 1-2 inch high disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate it for 1 hour to let it firm up.

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5.) In the meantime, put strawberries, lemon zest and juice, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and basil strips in a large bowl. Mix until combined. 

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6.) Preheat the oven to 375° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it's roughly 1/8 of an inch thick. Aim for an oval-like shape, but feel free to keep it rustic. Transfer the dough to your lined baking sheet.

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8.) If there's a pool of juice at the bottom of the filling bowl, pour some of it off (sad, but necessary, as this will prevent the crust from getting soggy while it bakes.) Pile the filling onto the center of the dough, leaving roughly 2 inches of dough around the outside.

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9.) Moving around in a circle, fold the edges of the dough over the filling to form the crust, overlapping as you go. You can get a sense of what this should look like by looking at the finished product. Using a pastry brush or paper towel, brush the top of the dough with the beaten egg. Sprinkle dough liberally with coarse sugar. Cut the remaining tablespoon of butter into 4 cubes, and place on top of the filling; this will melt down in the oven and make the surface even prettier.

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10.) Bake in the center of the oven for about 45 minutes. After 30 minutes, check to make sure the crust isn't browning too quickly. If it is, lower the oven temperature to 350°. Otherwise, leave it be for the remaining 15 minutes. 

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11.) Remove the galette from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes to let the filling thicken slightly. Don't forget to take photos in the meantime. Top with your favorite vanilla ice cream (not optional), cut into wedges, and enjoy.

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12.) Much like a pie, you can wrap this in foil and store refrigerated for several days, reheating at about 350° in a toaster oven or oven.