From AnnMarie MacKinnon

This is one of those recipes you can whip up with any type of fruit, depending on what’s in season. The fresh pears of early fall mark the season change beautifully and require little tinkering. This dessert is best served warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

FOR THE PASTRY:

• 2 Tbsp (30mL) icing sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cups (375mL) flour, plus a little more for rolling
• 1½ cup (125mL) cold butter
• A few tablespoons of ice water

FOR THE FILLING:

• ½ cup (60mL) butter, unsalted
• 2 Tbsp (30mL) brown sugar
• 4 pears
• ½ cup (125mL) chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp (5mL) cinnamon

In a bowl, mix icing sugar, salt, and flour. Add butter, working with your hands or a pastry cutter until the mixture reaches a coarse, grainy texture. Add ice water a tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough just comes together. Form the dough into a ball, chill for about an hour.

Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Peel and core the pears, and cut into slices. Melt the butter in an oven-safe, preferably cast iron, pan. Add the sugar, pears, nuts, and cinnamon, and cook on the stove over medium heat until tender.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface until the circle is slightly larger than the surface of the pan. Place the circle of dough on top of the pear and walnut mixture in the pan, tucking the edges under toward the pears. Put in the oven, and bake until the top is golden, about 45—50 minutes.

Once the galette is baked, allow it to cool slightly. To get the galette out of the pan, put a large plate on top of it, then invert the pan so the galette drops onto the plate.