This recipe is part of my Summer menu collaboration with Teressa Foglia.
A savory galette is far easier than you may think! Forget the stresses of homemade pie, this rustic free-form tart leaves plenty of room for error. It has a buttery pastry filled with heirloom tomatoes nestled in a creamy ricotta filling. This galette is a delicious warm, or at room temperature, so feel free to make it ahead of time. Serve it with a salad for lunch or a light dinner al fresco!
All year long I think about a late July tomato. It sounds absurd, but it is true. There is nothing quite like it.
Each year, I plant about 50 tomato plants in my garden. Different varieties from cherry, sungold, Mortgage Lifter, San Marzano, Rosa Sicilano, and Cherokee Purple, just to name a few. If I am lucky enough to have a good growing year, I begin looking for creative ways to use up my garden’s bounty. One of my favorite ways is by making a savory vegetable galette. It is not only delicious, but so stunning to look at, a beautiful showcase of the season’s bounty.
The best part is, as fussy as it may look, a galette is quite the opposite.
While making this galette, I decided to use a box of flour that has been sitting in my pantry since I returned from Italy in April. Grano arso, or burnt wheat, is a type of flour popular in the Puglia region of Italy. The burnt wheat adds a deep, nutty flavor and beautiful color to the dough. While I do hope you get the opportunity to get your hands on a bag yourself, it is not required for the recipe. I used 10% Grano Arso flour, but you can simply use all All-Purpose.
Unlike homemade pies, which often leave me tempted to make a decorative, elaborate crust (and being slightly disappointed when it is anything less than Pinterest perfect!) a galette is rustic and beautiful as such. There is simply no pressure to make it perfect. There is also no need to serve it piping hot, this is best eaten warm, so it is perfect to have sitting out to graze on if you have company over or have a brunch or light dinner.
My only real tip here is to make sure the cubed butter is extra cold before beginning. See make ahead/freezing instructions in the recipe notes if you’d like to get started ahead of time.
Galettes are free-form pies, and while they can be sweet like fruit pies, they can also be savory, as I have made here. Deliciousness should know no bounds. Here’s how I made it:
Heirloom Tomato Galette
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 1/4 cup cold water
Filling:
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp chopped rosemary
- 2 tsp chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2-4 heirloom tomatoes Sliced 1/2 inch thick and patted dry to remove excess liquid
- Egg Wash:
- 1 egg + 2 tsp water
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Option 1: Combine flour, cheese and salt and butter in a food processor. Pulse a few times to until pea size bits of butter form, then slowly drizzle in water, pulsing only until it clumps to form a dough.
- Option 2: Whisk the flour, cheese, and salt together in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter or a couple forks, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse pea-sized crumbs. Add the water and stir until the flour is moistened. Add 1 more Tablespoon of water if the dough seems dry.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using your hands, work the dough into a ball. Flatten it into a thick disk.
- Wrap the dough disk in plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days (or freeze up to 3 months).
- Prepare the tomatoes: Using a knife, slice tomatoes in ½ inch thick slices of choice. Place on a paper towel or dish towel, in order to absorb extra liquid.
- Prepare the ricotta filling: In a bowl, combine the ricotta, herbs, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- *Make sure you have enough room in your refrigerator for the baking sheet because the shaped galette must be refrigerated.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into roughly a 10-inch circle.
- Spoon the ricotta filling into the center of the dough, leaving a 2-3 inch border all around. Arrange vegetables on top in a decorative pattern if desired. Gently fold the edges of the dough over the filling, overlapping the dough as necessary. Press gently to seal the edges. Brush the crust edges generously with egg wash.
- Refrigerate the shaped galette for at least 30 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bake galette until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown, about 40-45 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Cover and store leftover galette in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
