Tomato Galette
This recipe popped up on my Instagram feed in a post from Bon Appetit a few weeks ago and it was the most beautiful thing I'd seen in ages. I saved the post because I knew that eventually I would have to try it. That is if I could get over my fear of messing up the dough.
See, I am really not a baker. I have a gorgeous KitchenAid stand mixer that I got on close out at Williams Sonoma because it was the most amazing color (they called it Clementine), but my husband just says it's 'the most expensive mashed potato maker ever'. Though to be fair I also use it to make whipped cream.
So, anyway, dough intimidates me.
But the recipe for this didn't sound too difficult, so I decided to give it a try on one of those Saturdays at home when I had lots of time to play in the kitchen. Of course, the day started at my favorite produce venue, the Buford Highway Farmer's Market. They didn't disappoint me.
Just look at these heirloom tomatoes!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 3/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 lbs heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 3 - 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 4 oz. firm cheese like Asiago, parmesan or fontina, finely grated
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Sea salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
Tips
First, if your food processor is small like mine - 4 cup capacity - do the pulsing of the flour, salt and butter in two matches to avoid over mixing it.
Second, don't skimp on the 2 hour chill time for the dough. It makes a difference.
The Method
Pulse 2 cups of flour and 1 1/4 tsp salt in a food processor to combine. Add the butter and pulse until it looks like a course crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
Transfer to a large bowl; drizzle with the vinegar and 1/4 cup of ice water. Mix with a fork, adding more ice water about a tablespoon at a time until a shaggy dough comes together. Turn out on a floured work surface and lightly knead until no dry spots remain. Pat into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
After the dough has chilled, preheat oven to 400.
Toss the sliced tomatoes, garlic and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Let sit 5 minutes so that tomatoes start releasing some liquid. Drain tomato mixture on paper towels while you get the dough ready.
Unwrap the dough and roll out on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper to about 14" round and 1/8" thick. Be gentle with this to not tear the dough. Transfer to a baking sheet still on the parchment.
Scatter cheese over the dough leaving a 1 1/2" border. Arrange tomatoes and garlic over the cheese. Then bring the edges of the dough up and over the filling, overlapping as needed. Brush the dough with the beaten egg wash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Bake the galette, turning once, until crust is golden and cooked through - about 55 - 60 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet.
Sprinkle with lemon zest, chives and more cheese if you'd like. I also added basil to this because I still had some on hand from the ratatouille.
This came together much better than I expected for a first attempt. And since the galette method can be used in multiple different ways, don't just think of it as a "recipe". Mix it up! Try your own variations! And let me know how it turns out.
"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato."
Lewis Grizzard