Last week at the farmers’ market I found these bright orange cherry tomatoes that were more than ready for their close-up. To highlight their incredible good looks and candy sweetness, I decided to make a simple ricotta and tomato galette. As I wrote in a similar post , there’s a lot to love about galettes; they are both rustic and refined; their dough is flaky, buttery and golden brown; and they are a versatile base for countless combinations of fresh vegetables, fruits, cheeses and more.
The recipe for this dough is spectacular. It originally comes from Williams Sonoma, but I found it through the Kitchen Vignettes blog featured on PBS. The trick is to chill the flour in the freezer for 30 minutes. I also love the yogurt and lemon in this recipe. Many recipes for galette dough use sour cream, but thick yogurt is interchangeable. The result is an airy, buttery pastry with a slight tang. This is perfect for any brunch, lunch or bbq.
Ricotta and Cherry Tomato Galette
Ingredients
for pastry
1 1/4 cup unbleached white flour, chilled in the freezer for 30 minutes
1/4 tsp salt
8 tblsp (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/4 cup full fat Greek yogurt
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water
for filling
1/2 cup fresh ricotta, drained if very wet
1/2 cup fresh goat cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
a few tblsp extra virgin olive oil
5 basil leaves, chiffonade
coarse salt
red pepper flakes, to taste
for glaze
1 egg yolk whisked with 1 tsp water
1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chilled flour and salt and pulse a few times to incorporate. Scatter the chilled butter cubes over the flour and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs and butter pieces are about the size of peas. Transfer to a large bowl. In another small bowl, mix together the ice cold water, cold yogurt, and 2 tsp lemon juice. Pour this mixture into the flour and use a wooden spoon to mix gently, just until it starts coming together. Use your hands to pat the lumps into a ball. Avoid over working the dough. Flatten the ball into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least one hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. On a floured piece of parchment paper, use a floured rolling pin to roll the chilled dough into a large circle, about 12 inches wide and around 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the parchment paper with the dough to a large baking sheet.
3. In a small bowl, mix the ricotta, goat cheese, parmesan, and garlic together. Season with salt. Spread this mixture onto your dough, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Place the halved tomatoes, cut-side up, tightly together on top of the cheese. Gently fold the borders of the dough towards the center and gently crimp the seams together. Brush the edges with the egg yolk glaze. Drizzle the olive oil on top of the tomatoes and sprinkle the whole thing with coarse salt.
4. Bake until the crust is golden brown and shiny, about 40 t0 45 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes before sprinkling with red pepper flakes and shredded basil. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
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