Heirloom Tomato Galette

This tomato galette has a buttery, flaky crust with a layer of basil pesto and juicy heirloom tomatoes. The all-butter crust is rolled out into a thin layer and then topped with a layer of fresh pesto. After adding the pesto, salted heirloom tomatoes are scattered over top. The crust then gets folded over on the edges and brushed with an egg wash and sprinkled with parmesan. It bakes in the oven until the crust is golden, slightly crisp, and flaky. The tomatoes get slowly roasted but remain juicy and tender. It is really the perfect summer side (or main!) and comes together in just a few minutes. 

Tomato Galette Ingredient Notes

• Flour: Use all-purpose flour for the pie dough to achieve a tender and flaky crust.
• Butter: Choose butter with a high fat percentage and make sure it’s chilled before incorporating it into the dough. Cold butter helps create the desired flakiness in the crust.
• Heirloom Tomatoes: Opt for ripe and flavorful heirloom tomatoes for the best taste. You can use a variety of colors and sizes to add visual appeal to the galette.
• Pesto: Homemade or store-bought basil pesto works well for this recipe. Use a high-quality pesto for the best flavor. You can find our recipe here.
• Parmesan Cheese: Grate fresh Parmesan cheese for added richness and a savory touch in the galette.

Tomato Galette Components

Pie Dough:

• The all-butter pie dough is made from a simple combination of flour, butter, water, and salt. It’s flaky, buttery, and forms the base of the galette.

Tomato Filling:

• Pesto Layer: A thin and even layer of basil pesto is spread on the pie dough, adding a delicious taste to the galette.
• Salted Heirloom Tomatoes: Sliced heirloom tomatoes are lightly salted and left to sit, which helps draw out excess moisture (keeping the galette crisp) and intensifies their flavor. The tomatoes are then layered over the pesto.
• Parmesan Topping: Grated Parmesan cheese is sprinkled over the galette, providing a delicious cheesy crust when baked.

Tomato Galette FAQs

Can I customize the filling ingredients?

Feel free to experiment with additional ingredients to personalize your tomato galette. Consider adding fresh herbs like thyme or oregano, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for heat, or even a layer of caramelized onions for added sweetness.

Tips for the Best Tomato Galette:

• Pat the tomato slices dry: After salting the tomato slices, gently pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. This helps prevent a soggy crust.
• Keep the dough and ingredients cold: Maintain the chill of the pie dough and ingredients by working quickly and refrigerating them when necessary. Cold ingredients ensure a flaky crust.
• Leave a border when spreading pesto and layering tomatoes: Be sure to leave a 1-inch border around the edges of the galette when spreading the pesto and layering the tomatoes. This border will be folded over to create the rustic galette shape.
• Brush the edges with egg wash: The egg wash adds a beautiful golden color and shine to the crust. Brush the beaten egg and cream mixture on the edges before baking.

Print

Heirloom Tomato Galette

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Resting pie dough 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

Pie Dough:

• 1.5 cups flour 180 g
• 10 Tablespoons butter chopped into 1 tablespoon squares 70 g
• 1/4 cup water iced 60 ml
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Tomato Galette:

• ¼ cup pesto
• 4 heirloom tomatoes sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan

Egg wash:

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

For topping:

• ¼ cup sliced basil
• Drizzle good extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Pie Dough:

• Place flour and salt into the base of a food processor
• Scatter butter chunks throughout the flour
• Pulse the mixture until the butter is mainly pea sized pieces (some will be larger, some smaller that’s what you want. It allows for the majority of butter to combine with the dough while leaving some larger pieces that will form buttery air pockets making a flaky crust)
• Remove the top piece of the food processor, to stream in the water. Continue to pulse and stream in ½ cup of ice water until mixture is crumbly (just before it forms a ball)
• Once the mixture is crumbly transfer it to a smooth and cool surface
• Turn the dough until it forms into a ball. There should be mainly consistent dough with some small pieces of butter freckled throughout
• Form the dough into disks (about 5 inches in diameter). Shaping it before will make it easier to roll into a circle. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before baking. It can stay in the fridge for up to a week
• To roll out, place onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a circle around 1/8” thick

Assembly:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit
• Slice the tomatoes into ¼” rounds and place them onto a large plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle the salt over top and let sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, press a paper towel on top to remove excess liquid. Set aside until ready to use
  
• Place the rolled pie dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet
• Spread the pesto into an even layer across the pie dough leaving a 1” border around the edges. Scatter ¼ cup parmesan over top
  
• Layer on the salted tomatoes into even layers (they will need to be slightly overlapping) still leaving the 1” border around the edges
  
• Fold over the edges of the galette slightly overlapping with each turn. The result should be a circle with ~1” border now covering the top
  
• Make the egg wash by whisking together the egg and cream. Brush it along the border and scatter the remaining 1/4 parmesan cheese over the edges. Press it in to ensure it sticks to the edges
  
• Bake for around 45-55 minutes until the edges are golden
  
• Top with basil and olive oil and serve