Galette!: Sweet and Savory Recipes as Easy as Pie

Food writer Firkser dials in on the galette—a convenient open-faced pie that is eminently suited to “riffability”—in her focused and innovative debut. She provides a master recipe for dough, complete with step-by-step photographs and meticulous instructions for making it by hand or using a food processor, followed by a few variations, including a chocolate version and one made with buckwheat. A handful of sauces and toppings also open up possibilities for experimentation. Filling options lean classic but with a twist, like plums sprinkled with black pepper and tarragon, and thin lemon slices over a cream cheese mixture. The author also plays with form, as in recipes for individual chocolate-hazelnut hand pies, and a deep-dish peach treat. Savory choices include a slab pie with radishes and red onion and another with an eggplant parm filling. A chapter of galettes made with pantry staples—marinated artichoke hearts, rotisserie chicken—is particularly clever. Firkser is quick with a tip, like how to use leftover dough to make cookies, and her explanations of the method for assembling galettes, which always includes a quick set in the freezer, are clear and colloquial. The result is a promising first outing that is greater than the sum of its 50 recipes. (June)