Hello tomato season–I cannot get enough you. I have been all in on Tomato Girl Summer–tomato red is now my favorite color, and tomato vine is now my favorite scent. I have pulled together a small curation of my favorite tomato items just for fun.
Beyond all of the tomato tableware, I cannot get enough of tomatoes in the dishes I cook. The one dish I long for every year, is a tomato galette. Every season I play and riff on the recipe, tweaking the ricotta or the crust or how the tomatoes are prepped and I always struggle to not end up with a soggy bottom (Thank you GBBO for introducing this term into my vernacular). This year I have found the combination that yields a beautifully crispy galette and the secret is this–put down the ricotta and pick up the burrata. By using burrata instead of ricotta, the filling starts with a cheese that has a bit melt and stretch that keeps moisture out of the crust.
I have pulled in my lovely little dehydrator (I’m obsessed and cannot be stopped) in order to bring some of the moisture out of the tomatoes. It gives them a concentrated flavor with a slightly dense texture that makes them perfect for topping a galette. You can also use your oven to to yield the same result.
I also add a layer of leeks for additional sweetness and texture. I feel like some tomato tarts rely so heavily on the tomato that the balance isn’t there. Leeks are the perfect flavor enhancer for cooked tomatoes. Leeks natural sweetness elevates the sweetness of a tomato, but doesn’t overpower its flavor.
The glorious thing about this tart is it’s even better the next morning for breakfast. I love to place slices in a cast iron skillet and heath them until they are crisp on the bottom and just warmed through. Top with sliced avocado and fried egg. Tomato-tastic.
Sourdough Pie Crust, or one pie crust of choice
4 oz. Burrata
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
One Garlic Clove, grated
Salt & Pepper
One leek, cut in half lengthwise and diced
Olive Oil
Maldon Salt
One small handful Basil Leaves
3-4 Medium Tomatoes weighing 1 1/2 lbs. - I used a combination of Beefsteak, Rosso, and Celebrity Tomatoes
1/2 c. Cherry Tomatoes (about 8-10 tomatoes)
Make your pie crust and chill in the fridge while you prepare your tomatoes.
Cut the larger tomatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices, and cut the cherry tomatoes on half. As you cut, lay each slice onto a paper towel. When finished, cover with more paper towels and blot well.
Place them in your dehydrator at 140 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. If using your oven, place the tomato slices on a wire rack lined baking pan and bake at 170 for one hour.
While your tomatoes cook, add 1 Tbs. olive oil to a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add your leeks and sauté for 6-8 minutes until tender and browned in places.
When your tomatoes are done, preheat your oven to 425. Then add your burrata to a large bowl, add the oregano, garlic and salt and pepper to taste.
Using a whisk, start by punching straight down to break up the burrata, them whip the burrata around the bowl until it turns into a spreadable cheese. Set aside.
Roll out your crust until it is roughly 16” in diameter.
Place your crust onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Spread your burrata mixture onto the crust leaving about a 1 1/2” border.
Sprinkle your sautéed leeks evenly over the burrata.
Arrange your tomato slices over the leeks and burrata–the trick here is to leave some gaps. This allows the tomatoes to continue to dry and not steam each other. Try not to overlap tomatoes.
Fold the edge of the crust over the tomatoes and filling. Drizzle 1Tbs. Olive oil over the whole galette, and sprinkle filling and crust with Maldon salt to taste.
Place the galette onto the middle rack of the oven and bake at 425 for 35-40 minutes until the crust is brown and golden. Lift the edge of the crust to ensure it is browned and crisp - if it is not, move the galette to the bottom rack and bake an additional 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and let sit a few minutes before cutting. Cut and enjoy.
The next day, crisp in frying pan and top with avocado and fried egg.
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