Recipe: Tomato Galette

The other day, my dad brought home an overflowing bushel of tomatoes. Faced with the very real possibility (a threat, really) of a diet consisting entirely of tomatoes for the foreseeable future, I knew I had to get creative. So I recycled a mushroom galette recipe I had lying around and made this herby tomato galette with a whipped feta base!

YOU’LL NEED:

5-6 large tomatoes, sliced about 1⁄8 of an inch wide.

Fresh basil, around 7 leaves.

1 head of garlic

1 tbsp oregano (fresh or dried)

1 tbsp thyme (fresh or dried)

Olive oil.

1⁄4 cup of yogurt

1⁄2 cup of crumbled feta

A few leaves of fresh mint (optional)

1 tsp of cornstarch or potato starch (optional)

1⁄2 tsp of red pepper flakes (optional)

1⁄2 tsp of ground sumac (optional)

11⁄2 cup flour

1 tbsp brown sugar

pinch of salt

4 tbsp of cold, cubed butter

4 tbsp of cold vegetable shortening (I used Crisco)

4 tbsp of ice cold water

1 peach, sliced.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit.

CRUST:

In a bowl, whisk together your flour, sugar, salt, and your oregano and thyme, until combined. If you’re using fresh oregano and/or thyme, make sure it's chopped finely. Next, add in your butter and shortening.

I used my hands instead of a stand mixer, but either will work. If using your hands, knead the shortening and butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles the texture of wet sand: crumbly but will stick together if squished. Once this texture is achieved, take your ice cold water and drizzle in one tbsp at a time, kneading as you go to make sure that all the dry mixture is evenly incorporated as your dough starts to come together.

If the mixture is still looking a little dry and is having trouble sticking together, you can add an extra tablespoon of cold water.

Once it can be formed into a ball, cover with plastic wrap or a cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes while you prep the rest of your ingredients.

FILLING:

Cut the top off a head of garlic, and wrap tightly in tin foil. Drizzle in olive oil, making sure to coat the whole garlic, and pop in the air fryer or oven alongside your sliced tomatoes to lightly roast for about 20 minutes. I used the air fryer and roasted my tomatoes with olive oil, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt for 35 minutes at 220 Fahrenheit. Once done roasting, take a pair of tongs and squeeze the garlic, and the molten cloves of garlic should ooze right out. Set aside.

WHIPPED FETA BASE:

In the meantime, whip together your feta and yogurt with a stand mixer or blender on low. Optionally, you could add in finely chopped fresh mint. If needed, add a splash of milk or feta brine, but take care not to make your mixture too runny. If too runny, add in a teaspoon of cornstarch or potato starch to thicken the mixture. Set aside.

ASSEMBLE:

Take your chilled dough and roll it out to about 1/16 of an inch onto some plastic wrap or parchment paper. (We do this so it’s easier to flip it into your baking pan). Grease an oven safe pan or pie tin of choice with some olive oil or cooking spray, and flip your dough over and set it over the pan. Press it gently into your dish, covering the bottom and sides evenly, and trim off any excess dough. Take a fork and poke holes in the dough, on both the sides and bottom. This will help it cook better and prevent any doughy parts of the crust.

Next, pour in the whipped feta base, spreading it out evenly so it coats the bottom of your dough. Then, begin layering your tomatoes around the edge of your dish in an accordion-style, shingling, or laying the tomato slices so as they overlap slightly.

This is what your tomatoes should look like.

Take the garlic cloves and wedge them in between the tomato slices, and top with fresh basil and a light drizzle of olive oil. Feel free to sprinkle some sThisumac or add some fresh-cracked black pepper atop, too. Finally, add your sliced peaches and arrange them in a spiral atop.

Before popping in the oven, crack an egg in a small bowl and mix it with some milk or water to make egg wash, and brush the edges of your crust with it. This helps the crust achieve a shiny, golden colour when baking.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. The galette is done when you can insert a toothpick in the crust and it comes away clean.

This recipe was written by Naz Fakhim