Tomato Galette

Nothing says summer like a fresh tomato galette! A basic buttery pie pastry and a layer of herb- and Parmesan-flavored ricotta cheese make this savory galette a fabulous dish for a summer lunch or dinner, or serve it as a side dish with soup or a meat or fish entrée.

The French word galette is a general term for a variety of flat pastries, including the traditional French galette des rois, the galette bretonne, a savory buckwheat crêpe, and a rustic tart filled with fruit or vegetables. This galette falls into the latter category. It is similar to a pie or tart in that it includes a crust and filling, but it is far more casual. Instead of shaping and crimping the dough in a pie plate or tart pan, the dough is free-formed with no fuss and no fancy crimping. Galettes are incredibly easy yet look so elegant!

The all-butter crust is flaky and holds up nicely with a filling of seasoned ricotta and Parmesan cheeses and sliced tomatoes. If your tomatoes are very juicy, sprinkle the slices lightly with salt and let them stand for about 10 to 15 minutes, then blot them with paper towels. Eliminating excess juice helps keep the crust from becoming soggy, and the tomatoes will brown better.

Use all garden-fresh red tomatoes in this recipe or mix things up with colorful heirloom tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and bright red tomatoes. The most important thing is that the tomatoes are ripe and flavorful. And take advantage of the season’s fresh herbs. Chopped basil and oregano or thyme leaves are excellent choices or use chives and parsley in the ricotta filling. No matter what tomatoes and herbs you choose, this savory galette is a dish that will surely impress your friends and family.

A tomato galette is the perfect take-along dish for a graduation celebration, shower, potluck dinner, or neighborhood cookout. The galette is best served the day it is made—serve it warm or at room temperature.

“This tomato galette was so refreshing and delicious, a great choice for an impressive summer meal. When rolling out the dough, make sure you rotate it to achieve a beautiful circle, add more flour on the bottom if necessary. This dough yields a flaky and buttery crust, complimenting the toppings perfectly.” —Bahareh Niati

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour, more for rolling

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, diced and chilled in the freezer

• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

• 4 to 6 tablespoons ice water, more as needed

For the Filling:

• 3 medium garlic cloves, divided

• 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, more for garnish, if desired

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves, more for garnish, if desired

• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano, more for garnish, if desired

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, more as needed

• 1 dash freshly ground black pepper, more as needed

• 2 to 3 medium tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Steps to Make It

Prepare the Pastry for the Crust

1. Gather the pastry ingredients.

   

   The Spruce/Bahareh Niati

2. Combine the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times.

   

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3. Add the butter and pulse several times until the butter is the size of small peas. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

   

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4. Drizzle the vinegar and 4 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture, and then work it in with your fingers or a fork. Continue adding ice water in small amounts until the dough begins to form and sticks together when squeezed. 

   

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5. Transfer the dough mixture to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times to form a cohesive dough.

   

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6. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it with plastic wrap. Place the disk in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. You may make the dough a day in advance.

   

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Prepare the Filling and Bake

1. Gather the filling ingredients.

   

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2. Mince 2 of the garlic cloves and combine them with the ricotta in a medium bowl. Add the Parmesan, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine; taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.

   

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3. Slice the remaining clove of garlic very thinly and set aside.

   

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4. Roll out the crust on a sheet of lightly floured parchment paper into a circle about 13 inches in diameter. 

   

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5. Leaving a 1 1/2- to 2-inch border, spread the ricotta cheese mixture over the pastry.

   

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6. Slice the tomatoes crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds and arrange them evenly over the ricotta cheese layer (it's OK to overlap the tomato slices).

   

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7. Working around the perimeter of the dough, gently fold the uncovered dough over the tomatoes to make the free-form crust edge.

   

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8. Arrange the thinly sliced garlic over the tomatoes, then sprinkle lightly with salt and drizzle with olive oil.

   

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9. Slide the galette still on top of the parchment paper onto a large rimmed baking sheet and place it in the refrigerator to chill for 15 to 20 minutes. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 F while the galette chills.

   

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10. Remove the galette from the refrigerator and bake until the crust is golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes.

    

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11. As desired, garnish with extra Parmesan cheese, basil, and/or oregano. Serve the galette warm or let it cool and serve it at room temperature.

    

    The Spruce/Bahareh Niati

Tips

• A good quality full-fat ricotta is drier than part-skim ricotta and the best choice for this recipe.
• Choose firm, ripe tomatoes for the galette. An assortment of different tomato colors and sizes makes a lovely galette, but feel free to use all red tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or what you have on hand.
• If your tomatoes are particularly juicy, sprinkle the slices lightly with salt and let them stand for a few minutes. Blot them with paper towels before arranging them over the ricotta layer.
• For a perfectly flaky crust, avoid overworking the ingredients. Bits of butter should be visible in the dough.
• If you don't have a food processor, use a pastry cutter, forks, or your fingers to blend the butter into the flour.
• If, at any point, the dough becomes too soft to work with, freeze for 5 to 10 minutes.

Recipe Variations

• Instead of basil and oregano, use another combination of fresh herbs, such as parsley and chives, rosemary and thyme, or basil and marjoram.
• Replace the Parmesan cheese with Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano.
• If desired, fold up to 1/4 cup pesto into the ricotta mixture and omit the Parmesan.
• Add some lemon zest to the galette just before serving.

How to Store

• The tomato galette is best eaten the day you make it, but if you have leftovers, refrigerate slices in a covered container and eat within 3 days.
• To reheat, place the leftover tomato galette on a rimmed baking sheet and heat in a 300 F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until warm.
• Do not freeze this galette. The tomatoes will exude too much moisture as they thaw, rendering the crust soggy.