In summertime, blackberries are everywhere. When I first saw this, I knew I loved it here. I was surprised to find that the blackberries are not so beloved.
At first I was told they were Oregon Blackberries and I imagined they just vined their way up here. But they are actually Himalayan blackberries and the story is the seeds were sold by Luther Burbank back in 1894. Burbank was developing and selling hundreds of plants through his catalogs. He thought the blackberries would be excellent for milder climates and many people in the Puget Sound bought them. But things got out of control and Himalayan Blackberries ended up being the Kudzu of the PNW, spreading everywhere. If you read the book “Where’d You Go, Bernadette” by Maria Semple, these were the vines that were growing into their house.
This means that there are continual efforts to beat back the invasive vines. But if you can catch them before the purge, there are lots of blackberries to be had.
They are ripe mid-July into August but by the end of the month the smell of overripe berries fills the air.
But I found these still ripening, and I’m wondering if they are a different variety of blackberry, maybe left from one of the old homesteads that use to be here.
Anyway I thought I’d take the opportunity to gather one last bucketful, not enough to make jam but perfect for some little galettes.
I used this crust recipe from One Dish Kitchen, doubled to make four small galettes.
And took them to my daughter’s just in time for a after school treat on the first day of remote classes.
For The Crusts
Instructions
To Make The Crusts
- Heat oven to 400° F
- In a small bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and salt. Using a fork, cut in the butter until mixture resembles wet sand.
- Add water and stir to form dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Divide into fourths and flatten into discs and wrap completely in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- After the dough has chilled, unwrap the discs and place them on a floured surface. Roll disk into a 4-inch round circle about 1/8-inch thick.
- Place on a baking sheet.
To Make the Blackberry Filling
Simmer the berries in a saucepan with a little lemon zest, adding a little sugar if needed. When the berries ares softened divide onto the four circles of pie dough. leaving a 1-inch space around the sides. Fold the rim of the dough up and around the filling.
Bake 20 minutes until the crust is golden.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
