Transforming Garden Tomatoes: A Savoury Delight in Roasted Tomato Galette.
Every gardener knows the joy of plucking ripe, sun-kissed tomatoes straight from the vine. However, not all garden tomatoes turn out as sweet and juicy as hoped. The lack of sunshine this summer and a little neglect on my part probably had something to do with it. Rather than letting those not-so-sweet tomatoes go to waste, consider using them for a delicious early autumn lunch or dinner – a Roasted Tomato Galette. This savoury free-form tart transforms those less-than-perfect tomatoes into a mouthwatering meal.
For this recipe I salted the tomatoes before roasting. This technique enhances the flavour and texture of the tomatoes.
Flavour enhancement: Salt helps to bring out and intensify the natural flavours of tomatoes. It enhances their sweetness while balancing acidity, resulting in a more delicious and well-rounded taste.
Moisture extraction: Tomatoes contain a significant amount of water, and salting them before roasting draws out some of this moisture. This helps to concentrate the tomato flavour and prevents them from becoming overly watery during roasting, which can dilute the flavours of the tart and make the pastry soggy.
Improved texture: By removing excess moisture, salting the tomatoes helps achieve a better texture when roasted and are more likely to caramelise.
This is an excellent way to make mediocre tomatoes taste amazing. Also, if you’re afraid of making pastry, then I think you’ll find this Greek-style yogurt pastry a doddle. It’s so easy to roll, and it’s a little like rough puff.
*If you have an abundance of green tomatoes, you could try this recipe.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE FOR roasted tomato galette?
I would love to know how it turned out. Please let me know by commenting below. Or you could snap a photo and share and tag it on Instagram @nordickitchenstories.
Roasted Tomato Galette
Ingredients
- 550 g mixed tomatoes
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 50 g mature hard cheese or soft goats’
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano alternatively basil or thyme
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
For the pastry
- 280 g white spelt flour or all purpose/plain flour
- A good pinch fine sea salt
- 180 g butter cold & cubed
- 110 g full-fat Greek style yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ fan.
- Begin with slicing the large tomatoes and cut the cherry tomatoes in half (if using). Lay them out on a tray or large plate. Slice the garlic and scatter over the tomatoes, sprinkle with the salt. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- To make the pastry: blitz the flour, butter cubes and a pinch of salt in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the Greek style yogurt, and pulse until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Shape into a disc, pop into a freezer bag and chill for 30 minutes.
- Blot the tomatoes with kitchen paper to remove the excess moisture. Roll out the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface to a roughly 40cm circle. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Scatter the grated cheese (or creamy goats’) in the centre, leaving an 8cm border. Arrange the mixed tomatoes and garlic into the middle, again leaving a border around the edge. Fold the border up, it doesn’t need to be even or neat. Brush the exposed pastry border with some beaten egg. Season the tomatoes with freshly ground black pepper and add a drizzle of olive oil. Scatter over torn herbs of your choice (reserve some to add after baking).
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 50-60 minutes or until golden and the tomatoes are slightly caramelised. Remove from the oven and cool for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a large plate or wooden board. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and more herbs, serve with a green salad.
Ricotta, Fennel and Lemon Ravioli
Tomato Galette
I made this for lunch today.
It’s so delicious and perfect to make if you have a surplus of tomatoes, so easy and such lovely pastry, ideal for a casual lunch with a couple of friends: I highly recommend it.
Very happy you like it :))