Fresh Heirloom Tomato Galette
A free-form pastry galette over a dijon and cheese base, layered with salted, drained heirloom slices and baked golden.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb ripe heirloom slicer tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 round single-crust pie pastry, chilled
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 cup grated gruyere or sharp cheddar
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 egg, beaten for the wash
- 1 tsp flaky salt
- to taste cracked black pepper
Method
- Lay the tomato slices on a rack, salt both sides, and let them drain for 30 minutes, then blot them dry.
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and roll the chilled pastry into a rough round on parchment.
- Spread the dijon over the center, leaving a two-inch border, and scatter most of the cheese on top.
- Shingle the drained tomato slices over the cheese and sprinkle with thyme, pepper, and the rest of the cheese.
- Fold the pastry border up and over the edge of the filling, pleating as you go.
- Brush the crust with the beaten egg and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden.
- Cool at least 15 minutes before slicing so the galette sets.
The enemy of a tomato galette is a soggy bottom, so salting and draining the slices first pulls out the water that would otherwise weep into the crust. Firm, meaty slicers hold up best under heat, and Arkansas Traveler in particular keeps its shape and never turns mealy in the oven. The mustard and cheese base gives the pastry one more layer of insurance against the wet.