Tomato Galette

Tomato Galette Recipe with lots of Pictures

 

 

 

There are a lot of recipes for Tomato Galette, over the years I think I've made most of them!  The ones I find the most successful are the simplest ones.  Make a dough *(my recipe at the bottom), cut up about 2 cups of tomatoes (I used heirloom cherry tomatoes with a few bits of bigger Heirlooms as well, sliced thin, you can lightly salt them and then soak up all the extra juice with paper towel or you can just use paper towel,  I didn't salt these ones. I did use lots of paper towel for about 30 minutes changing the paper towel every time it got soaked through) and add cheese, herbs and maybe some onions.  I brushed this dough with an egg yolk/cream wash and baked it at 375 F for about 45 minutes. I like using Rosemary with this, but for this one I used Basil....so saute 2 onions in 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil until wilted, but not brown, stirred in a handful of basil and spooned it over the 1/2 pound of grated cheese which I'd sprinkled over the rolled out dough. I then added more basil to cover the onions and cheese.  

I used a local cheese I got from Saxelby called Tarentaise, it's a local version of Gruyere.  Any good melting cheese will work, just not to strong as you want the tomato flavor to sing!  I topped this tart with Cheese, but I think it's nicer looking with the tomatoes showing and all the cheese on the bottom.

I sprinkled sea salt and grated freshly ground black pepper over the entire affair when it was done.

This is a shitty picture of the finished product it actually was very pretty when plated and garnished with fresh herbs, but I was in a hurry to get dinner to the table for my hungry guests so art direction be damned!

This picture of the slice is better...

This dough is based on one from Alice Water.  What makes it so brilliant is the technique of mixing the butter into the flour in two different ways.  She says the dough can make two galette I used all of it to make one.  This is a very sticky dough so using parchment paper is essential.

Galette Dough

In a large bowl sift together: 2 cups of flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.

Add 6 Tablespoons of unsalted butter and with your hands work it into the flour mixture until it is thoroughly incorporated.  Add another 6 Tablespoons of unsalted butter and barely mix it in.  You want there to be chunks of butter visible in the dough.  With a spatula stir in 1/3 cup ice cold water. 

Stir to bring together and then spoon out onto a large piece of Parchment paper. place another piece of Parchment on top and press into a disc.  Refrigerator for at least an hour. 

Remove from Fridge and roll out the dough between the two pieces of parchment.  When the desired shape is rolled out remove the top piece fill the Galette and pick up the entire thing by the paper and slide onto a baking sheet.  The paper makes moving it on and off sooooo much easier!

Cook in a preheated 375F oven until brown betwen 45-55 minutes.

Any non juicy fruit like apricots make a delicious dessert Galette.   Enjoy!