To make crust, combine flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut room-temperature shortening into flour with two knives until mixture is uniform and shortening resembles large peas. Do not overwork.

Beat egg, water and vinegar together. Pour evenly over flour mixture. Stir with work until well combined and all of the mixture is moistened.

Without overworking it too much, shape dough into a ball and lightly flatten into a circle of about 10 cm. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes (or longer, if making ahead).

To make filling, clean all berries carefully. Pour berries into a large bowl, adding sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest, salt, and a teaspoon of balsamic or apple cider vinegar, taking care not to bruise the berries. Add fresh or dry herbs as possible, based on whatever berries you're using (see list and suggested pairings under ingredients). Mix everything gently with a wooden spoon, taste and correct flavours (adding sugar, or more lemon and vinegar if the taste is a bit monotonous).

When crust has cooled and you're ready to bake, dust rolling pin and work surface lightly with flour. Roll dough to a uniform thickness of about ½ an inch with light, even strokes. If dough sticks, dust lightly with flour. Roll out a shape that is as close to a circle as you can, but don't fret - galettes are forgiving. If the dough is really sticky, rolling the dough on parchment paper and then transferring it on the parchment paper to a large baking sheet works well. If you don't have enough parchment paper, slide a spatula under the dough and loosen it, and then transfer it to a wide baking sheet covered with parchment paper (or even tin foil, if that's all you have) as intact as you can. Once again, don't fret too much - galettes are forgiving, and if pieces break off they can always be patched together.

With a slotted spoon or a fork, pile filling onto the dough, leaving an inch of edges around. Fold the edges onto the filling, allowing some pieces to cover a part of others, and leaving the centre of the filling exposed. Add a gentle sprinkling of whatever herbs you used in the filling (if the filling is all raspberries, some crushed pistachios will work wonders). Brush the galette's edges with an egg. Bake in a 425F oven for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F and bake for another 20-30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the filling is set. Do not overcook.

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired. We had it as is, in room temperature, and it was wonderful.