Last summer I would have never begun to attempt making this. Too daunting, too much work, too tricky. But since I started this blog in January I find myself drawn more and more to the kitchen, to get my hands in dough, to try new recipes, new techniques, new ways of being creative. It happened so naturally and effortlessly, I didn’t really notice until I stopped and looked back at the past few months.
The kitchen has become my place of creativity, my place of solace, joy and experimentation.
I’ve never made this galette before, but its become one of my Mom’s classic summer recipes so I thought I’d give it a whirl since we both have way too many heirloom tomatoes ripening right now. With a few tips and tricks from Mom delivered over my shoulder as I rolled dough and arranged tomatoes, this galette turned out as beautiful and delicious as hers do… and I included those tips and tricks for you in the recipe too! 😀
I used a combination of German Strawberry tomatoes (they are shaped like a gigantic strawberry), Black Crimson, Green Zebra and a couple Sungold cherry tomatoes in the centre just for fun, but any good quality, local tomatoes will be tasty as well.
Here’s to the colours of Summer’s bounty and the wafting scent of fresh basil in the air.
Happy baking!
If you liked this recipe you are going to love these ones!
Spelt Flammkuchen
Spelt Pizza Dough + Kitchen Sink Pizza
Traditional Tourtiere Pie with Flaky Spelt Pie Pastry
Heirloom Tomato Spelt Galette
Ingredients
Pie Dough
- 1/2 cup cold butter
- 1 1/4 cups organic all purpose, unbleached spelt flour also known as white spelt flour
- 1 tbsp organic sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2-3 tbsp ice water
Filling
- 2-3 large tomatoes sliced
- 2 medium onions sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp cornmeal
- 2 cups gruyere cheese grated
- pepper to taste
- fresh basil sliced
Instructions
To make the dough
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Fill a small bowl with water and put it into the freezer. In another small bowl, cut the butter into small pieces and put this bowl into the freezer as well.
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In a medium bowl mix the flour, sugar and salt.
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Remove the cut up butter from the freezer and add to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or a fork, mix until course, about the size of peas.
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Remove the water from the freezer and add one tablespoon at a time until the dough starts to come together and stays formed when you pinch it.
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Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently flatten, mix and form into a disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
To make the filling
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Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and a good pinch of salt and saute on medium heat until dark golden brown. Add the garlic and saute for a 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.
To assemble the galette
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a pizza pan or large baking pan with parchment paper.
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Dampen a work surface with water and lay a large piece of wax paper on top. Generously flour the wax paper and then roll out the dough into a 13" circle dusting with flour when it starts to stick to the rolling pin. Lightly flour the dough again and using the wax paper, fold the dough in half. Pick the dough up, place it on the baking pan (without the wax paper!) and sprinkle cornmeal on top leaving a 2" border.
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Evenly spread caramelized onions on top of the cornmeal and 1 1/2 cups of grated cheese on top of the onions. Overlap and arrange the tomato slices in a circular pattern and sprinkle with fresh pepper.
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Fold and pleat the edges of dough over the tomatoes, pressing any breaks together. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove and sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top and bake for another 10 minutes.
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Remove from the oven and transfer to a large cutting board or serving platter. Sprinkle with thinly sliced, fresh basil and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
1. The dough can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge until you are ready to make the galette.
I’m making this. Beautiful. The recipe for the pie crust looks like a winner.
Thank you for the creative touched.
Thanks Lynn! Let me know how it turns out for you.