Fresh Nectarine Galettes

By Allison Kociuruba

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, we have quite a few houseguests. And by quite a few, I actually mean a LOT. It’s the blessing (and curse) of living in a popular travel destination.

Truthfully, I love it. We live far away from family and most friends so I relish in entertaining familiar faces and sharing the hidden gems of the Northern California coast.

Because we often eat out with guests, I don’t get to cook as much as I’d like, so I try to surprise everyone with baked treats when they wake up. I’ve done the yeast-risen cinnamon bun thing but setting the alarm to wake up over an hour before everyone else was not much fun, so my latest trick is these fresh fruit galettes.

Made with store-bought puff pastry that I keep on hand in my freezer, these little treats come together quickly and can showcase the bounty of fresh fruits we have year-round. This summer I made them with nectarines but as fall approaches I’ll probably switch to apples, pears and maybe even fresh figs. The recipe is easy to make and it will make your kitchen smell as delicious as a French bakery, to make everyone’s mouths water.

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Fresh Nectarine Galettes
Makes 12 galettes

½ (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry (1 sheet), thawed
All-purpose flour, for rolling pastry
1 large egg, beaten
2 large nectarines, halved, pitted and thinly sliced
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into tiny pieces

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Remove 1 pastry sheet from package (save second sheet for another use). Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured work surface. Cut crosswise in half then lengthwise in thirds to make 6 pieces. Roll one piece of pastry into a 6-inch by 6-inch square. Cut 1/2-inch-wide strip from two opposite sides of square. With a pastry brush or finger, moisten cut edges of pastry with beaten egg and top with cut strip, pressing gently to seal. Cut in half crosswise to make two squares and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pastry squares, placing six on each baking sheet.

Lay 4 to 5 nectarine slices on each square, overlapping slightly and pressing fruit down gently. Sprinkle each with 1/8 teaspoon sugar and dot with butter. Bake until galettes are golden brown and nectarines have softened, about 25 minutes, rotating sheets between oven racks halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Serve warm.

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