What is a galette anyway!? Well, it’s essentially a freeform tart, a tart without a tart pan. So, think of this as a lazy person's tomato tart, or if you wish a more positive spin, a rustic tomato tart.
I've been eyeing this recipe for at least a year! I first saw it over on the Kitchen Vignettes site. I've mentioned Aube's gorgeous stop-motion videos before, but if you've not yet seen one, I urge you to go check this one out. They're so beautiful and are guaranteed to get you in the mood to cook.
I made the dough for this recipe the night before and just left it to chill out in the fridge. The recipe calls for it to rest in the fridge for at least an hour – although annoying, this is an important step! It is what makes the crust so good.
There isn't a single thing I don't love about this galette. Let’s start with the crust - it is stellar. It has just the right amount of chewy and just the right amount of flaky. It is the kind of crust you want to eat and maybe even wish there was a little more. The ricotta filling a perfect complement, it lends a beautifully creamy texture to each bite. Finally, the tomatoes. They are EVERYTHING. Seriously, there aren't too many things in life much better than fresh, vine ripened cherry tomatoes that have been roasted until their flavour has condensed; becoming all jammy and sweet. But don't take my word for it, try it for yourself!
Cherry Tomato Galette
For the Pastry:
1 1/4 cup unbleached white flour chilled in the freezer for 15 minutes (I used spelt and it worked beautifully)
1/4 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup full-fat yoghurt (if liquidy, drain it first so it is thick and creamy)
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water
For the Filling:
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan
About 1 pound of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp. olive oil
Freshly minced basil for garnish (4 or 5 basil leaves)
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Glaze:
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. water
First, make sure your flour and butter are chilled. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the flour and salt together, then cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender, a food processor, or two knifes, until the butter is evenly distributed with the largest chunks about the size of peas (these chunks of butter are what will give your crust its delightful flakiness). In a small bowl, mix together the ice cold water, cold yoghurt, and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Pour this mixture into the flour. With a wooden spoon, gently mix together, just until you can get it into a ball. It doesn't have to be perfectly mixed, you want to avoid overworking the dough. Flatten the ball into a disc and wrap in plastic or parchment paper and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
On a floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll the chilled dough into a large round about 12 to 14 inches wide and between 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Place the rolled-out dough on a piece of parchment paper on a large baking sheet. (You may find it easier to handle the dough if you roll it out directly onto the floured piece of parchment paper).
In a small bowl, mix the ricotta and grated parmesan together. Crumble and spread this mixture onto your dough, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Place your halved tomatoes, cut-side up, tightly together to fill the circle, leaving the 2-inch border intact. Fold the border edges of the dough inwards so that the tomatoes are encased by dough around the edges but exposed in the center. Brush the edges with the egg yolk glaze. Season with salt and pepper if you wish and drizzle the olive oil on top of the tomatoes.
Bake in a 375 F oven for about 45 minutes or until crust is golden.
Remove from the oven, let it cool for a few minutes before sprinkling shredded basil on top. Slice and serve.