Tomato Zucchini Galette with Goat Cheese
“A pie is homey. A tart is fancy. And a galette splits the difference, but is easier than either one.”
– Melissa Clark, The New York Times.
Galettes are that perfect dish, resting halfway between rustic and refined, and this particular galette is just bursting with flavor. The tangy tomatoes and goat cheese are offset by the sweet honey and caramelized shallots, while the thyme takes it over the top. And roasting the vegetables first adds yet another layer of deliciousness.
Galettes are great for beginner bakers, especially if you’ve never made a crust before. The folded-over dough can be as neat or as sloppy as you like, giving it either more of a pie look, or more of the rustic “package” look. They’re not nearly as fancy as dishes like the French fruit tart.
I tend to lean towards savory for galettes, but one of these days I’ll take on the sweet galette des rois, or “cake of the kings” that is traditionally eaten on twelfth night. I’d also like to try the Breton galette, a savory cousin to the sweet crepe, that’s made of buckwheat and usually stuffed with breakfast-type goodies.
Tips
- Laminate that dough! It may be a little thing but it makes a big difference.
- Fully caramelize those shallots to bring out the sweet.
- Don’t be afraid to go a bit heavy with the honey.
Reality Bakes
I loved making this galette and the dough was a joy to work with this time. I mixed up the flours and substituted a little spelt for all-purpose and it worked beautifully. If I’d change anything next time, it would probably be just experimenting with the filling/toppings. Perhaps some eggplant, or roasted red pepper? Artichokes? Something with mushrooms? Leeks? Blue cheese? The possibilities for creativity are endless with this one.
Update September 2019
I love this galette and make it a lot but I recently decided to experiment a little. Inspired by this Midwest Living recipe, I added 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese and a bit of cracked black pepper to the dough, before adding the ice water. I also made it in a big rectangle instead of a circle, just for something different.
Tomato Zucchini Galette with Goat Cheese, Honey, Caramelized Shallots and Thyme
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, frozen and grated
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup whole wheat or spelt flour
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- Pinch of sugar
- 1/3 cup ice water
- Cornmeal, for dusting (opt.)
For the filling:
- 3 shallots, diced
- 2 tsp olive oil, plus more for tossing
- Pinch of sugar
- Salt (sea or Kosher) and pepper to taste
- 8 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 3 tbsp honey
- 3 small to medium tomatoes, thinly sliced (heirloom are best)
- 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
- 5 to 10 cherry tomatoes, sliced or halved (heirloom are best)
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter for shine (optional)
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water
Instructions
- Start the dough by grating frozen butter into a small bowl.
- Meanwhile, sift the flours, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl.
- Gently toss the grated butter into the flour mixture until mixture looks mealy. Slowly add the ice water a little bit at a time, just until dough takes shape – it will still be shaggy and you may not use all of the water. Form dough into a loose ball and transfer to a lightly floured surface before shaping into a flattened rectangle. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour until dough is firm.
- While dough chills, heat oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the diced shallots and saute until starting to turn golden, about 7 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of sugar, season with salt and pepper, and cook shallots until very soft, another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat to cool.
- With a floured rolling pin and on a well-floured work surface, roll out the chilled dough to form a long rectangle, roughly 8 x 14 inches. Fold bottom third of the dough up to the center, then fold the top third down, creating a sort of package.
- Rotate dough 90 degrees and roll out again. Repeat folding process and rotate dough 90 degrees again. Roll out once more, and perform the third and final set of folds.
- Wrap folded dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice the full-sized tomatoes and the zucchini and toss with olive oil. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and season liberally with salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and let cool.
- Lower oven to 375°F. Line a new baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle the top with a smattering of cornmeal (optional).
- When dough has chilled, roll it out with a floured rolling-pin on a floured work surface into a 12-inch round, roughly 1/8-inch thick. Transfer to the parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with cornmeal.
- Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese over the dough round, leaving about a 2-inch border along the edges. Drizzle honey with a heavy hand over the goat cheese, then top with the shallots. Layer the roasted tomato and zucchini slices. Finally, add slices of un-roasted cherry tomatoes and sprinkle all over with thyme.
- Beat an egg with 1 teaspoon water. Fold up the edges of the dough around the tomatoes and zucchini, then brush the crust with the beaten egg. (For a true, rustic galette look, fold up the edges as is. For a smoother appearance, go around with a pizza cutter before folding them up.) Dot a few bits of butter on top of the filling to give it an extra shine, then bake the galette for 40 to 50 minutes until the crust is golden. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Did you make this recipe? Share! Tag @realitybakes1 on Instagram.
