Recently I shared a recipe for a savoury galette choke-full with juicy tomatoes and a creamy cheese mixture. If you haven’t checked it out, it’s here.  That was probably one of my favourite meals this season, and it was super simple to make. I should have been putting these free form pastries together long ago and more often!

Speaking of which, I like to cook with what is fresh and in season. Not only do you get better quality and cheaper goods, but there are likely fewer pesticides used on fruits and vegetables consumed at their peak.

I knew I wanted to do something with berries, and the galette inspired me - a sweeter type anyway! 

This version is muddled with mint leaves to give it some freshness and compliment the berries, sweetened with honey, sugar, with a bed of ricotta cheese underneath. You can serve this galette for brunch, or after lunch or dinner. This will impress your guests for sure!

Originally I wanted to use mulberries for this recipe, which are native to Africa, Asia, and Europe. I grew up eating these berries, partly because we had two trees in my back garden to pick from! I made mulberry jam quite often or took them to school to share with my classmates who had silkworms (they love mulberry leaves). However, I never made any sort of pasty for some odd reason (not that I made this puff pastry sheet from scratch).

One recurring memory I have when it comes to mulberries is the grave warnings I would receive about getting them all over my clothes and risk losing them forever! Mulberries STAIN like crazy.

Some people may think they are the same as blackberries but they are two entirely different plants. Close enough for this recipe though. Blackberries are rounder in shape and grow on thorny bushes, mulberries are long and grow in trees. Both have great health benefits and are supple and delicious as most berries are. They are loaded with antioxidants, fibre, and help with inflammation.

Ingredients

1/4 cup white sugar

12 ounces blackberries, rinsed

4 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/3 cup ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons honey + extra for brushing

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 sheet puff pasty or pie crust, thawed at room temperature

2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt crystals

1 heaped teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions

Rinse the berries and pat dry, transfer to a large bowl.

Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons mint, 1/2 teaspoon salt, thyme, and the cornstarch. Mix until the berries are evenly coated.

In a smaller bowl, add the ricotta cheese, remaining mint leaves and 1/2 teaspoon salt, honey, 1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar, and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, mix well. 

Spoon the ricotta mixture over the centre of the puff pastry sheet, leaving about an inch of a border around the edges. Top with the berries, leaving any liquid residue in the bowl.

Fold and crimp the edges over the outside berries to create your galette. Brush the edges with some honey, then top with the rest of the cinnamon sugar and sprinkle some sea salt crystals. Pierce a few tiny holes with a fork to help the pastry breathe as it bakes. 

Bake in a 400F oven for about 30 minutes, checking to make sure the puff pastry has baked and browned.

Garnish with icing sugar and mint leaves. Serve as it is, with fresh cream or ice cream!