Pistachio Frangipane & Blood Orange Galette
When the urgency of seasonal baking--and baking in general--is calling your name.
PISTACHIO & BLOOD ORANGE GALETTE - FULL RECIPE
I was about to send this recipe out when I got the news that this weekend, the six remaining living Israeli hostages, held in Gaza for more than 500 days, will be released as part of the so-called Phase One of the deal. I can barely process what this means for the others who will not come back to us as we had hoped. I do not know if it is frivolous to post a recipe for this tart. But every day in the last year and a half has been filled with these questions. What is appropriate? What can I make, eat, and share? All I know is that cooking and baking continue. Feeding for nourishment of all kinds goes on.
A few months after 10/7, I made crispy cauliflower with Mor Korngold, whose brother, Tal Shoham, is one of the six returning on Shabbat this week. Tal was visiting his family on Kibbutz Be’eri and was kidnaped with his wife and daughters, who came home in the first hostage deal in November 2023. Mor has been a fighter for his brother and all the hostages, and we made his brother’s favorite food as a shriek, a love letter, a protest, a demand. It was awkward at moments but ultimately healing to help get the word out about Tal. And all this time later, he’s returning. My prayer is for his healing, and for his safety, and for his sateity.
And now, speaking of awkward—a transition to this recipe. A bit of a sleeper from the Shabbat cookbook, and it is DEFINITELY the season. Make it while blood oranges are still around (like, this week, though regular oranges work really well, too). A baked orange is a revelation. It is also very Israeli. Citrus in all its forms, at all temperatures, at all times. The base is a creamy, dreamy pistachio frangipane; the frangipane come together in the processor, which you can also use to make the super-flaky crust (which you can make ahead, and freeze the bonus crust). Then again, you could use a store-bought crust to make your life easier. Just make this. Serve it to someone you love, and be grateful that you can.
FOR THE CRUST (makes 2 crusts)
2 1/2 cups (325 grams) all‑purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons (10 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (6 grams) fine sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks/8 ounces/226 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, chilled in the freezer for 20 minutes
8 tablespoons (118 g/ml) ice water, plus more as needed
1 large egg, beaten, for the egg wash
1 tablespoon (12.5 grams) demerara sugar
FOR THE FILLING:
1 1/2 cups (195 grams) shelled pistachios
2/3 cup (133 grams) granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick/3 ounces/85 grams) unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon (5 grams/ml) pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) fine sea salt
2 tablespoons (16 grams) all‑purpose flour
2 small blood oranges, rind removed, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
FOR THE FOR WHIPPED CREAM:
1/2 cup (117 ml) heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons (19 grams) sugar
Make the crust: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, granulated sugar, and salt until incorporated. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is mealy and pea-sized lumps of butter remain, 20 to 25 pulses. Add 4 tablespoons of the ice water and pulse the dough, then add the remaining 4 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time and pulsing in between, and pulse until the dough just comes together and small pieces of butter are still visible (be careful not to overwork the dough). Divide the dough in half and form two 5-inch disks about 1 inch thick. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes. (Refrigerate the second crust for up to 48 hours for another use or freeze, tightly sealed, for 3 months.)
While the dough is chilling, make the frangipane: Place the shelled pistachios in the bowl of a food processor or mini chopper and process until very fine crumbs form, 20 to 25 seconds. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the granulated sugar, butter, and pistachios until well creamed, 1 to 2 minutes (you can also do this with an electric hand mixer). Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and salt until fluffy and combined, 1 to 2 minutes, then reduce the speed and fold in the flour until just incorporated into a creamy, thick paste, 15 seconds.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough, rotating and carefully flipping the dough occasionally and sprinkling flour lightly on the dough as needed, until you have a 12-inch round (the dough should be smooth and not sticky). Center the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread the frangipane on the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Arrange the orange slices over the top in a free-form pattern. Fold the dough over the filling, forming a 1-inch folded edge. Brush the beaten egg over the crust and sprinkle with the Demerara sugar. Chill for 20 minutes (this helps the crust hold its shape while baking), then bake until the filling is puffed and the crust is flaky and golden, 18 to 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool completely. Use a sharp knife to cut the tart into slices. If serving with whipped cream, beat the cream and sugar with a whisk in a medium bowl until soft peaks form, 2 minutes. Serve with the tart.
*You can halve the pie crust recipe and make it in the small bowl of a food processor.