The Last Bright Bursts Of Summer
Author: Jon Bennion, Montana Free Press
The Last Bright Bursts of Summer
Jon Bennion
Montana Free Press
This recipe was originally published in the August 12, 2024 issue of the Montana Free Press.
We wait a long time for fresh tomatoes and now is my favorite time to cherish them with this tomato galette.
Few things are more prized at an August farmers market or backyard gathering than tomatoes: eating them in a fresh salad, slicing them onto a BLT, or making your favorite salsa. We wait a long time for fresh tomatoes, and now is my favorite time to cherish them with this tomato galette.
As a “new world” ingredient, tomatoes have quickly found their way into the cuisines of just about every part of the globe. There are good reasons why.
I think we all have some strong memories connected to tomatoes. For me it’s my grandparents and parents canning them each September to preserve their summer goodness for the long Montana winters. We knew our days of backyard tomatoes were numbered.
I can think of lots of great ways to celebrate the bright bursts of summer flavor we get from tomatoes, but for our family, few can top this tomato galette. We wait all year to make it, and it has never let us down.
This rustic version of a tart can be made savory or sweet. This galette recipe sits firmly in the savory camp, with hints of sweetness from caramelized onion and fennel and some nice cherry tomatoes.
But don’t buy those cherry tomatoes you see in your grocery store year-round. The freshness of your cherry tomatoes will be the most significant factor in whether this dish turns out to be a summertime hit or a disappointing dud.
The crust recipe might be culinary territory you’ve never explored. Don’t be scared. A food processor makes it relatively easy. But if you want to cheat a little, seek out a store-bought crust that has no sugar listed in the ingredients.
This recipe calls for less Gruyere cheese than mozzarella because Gruyere packs more flavor. In both cases, do not buy the pre-shredded stuff that often contains additives that will prevent good melting. Grating a little cheese isn’t going to kill you, and you save money in the long run.
Over the years I have drawn from a variety of recipes, putting the best elements and lessons learned into this recipe. The butter levels, caramelized onion and Gruyere cheese would please the French. The mozzarella, fennel, tomato and basil would please the Italians. This galette is bright, cheesy, savory, a bit sweet, and herby. For those reasons, it pleases this Montanan.
TOMATO GALETTE RECIPE
Crust:
Combine 2 cups flour and 12 tbsp cold salted butter (a stick and a half) in half-inch cubes in a food processor. Pulse the ingredients until it resembles couscous, then gradually add 1/4 cup of ice water while pulsing. Pull it all together into one piece outside of the food processor, cover it in plastic wrap, and let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour.
Filling:
1/2 cup shredded Gruyère
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 medium onion
1 fennel bulb (if you can’t find fresh fennel, just go without and use a large onion instead of the medium onion recommended above)
2 tbsp salted butter
16-18 ounces fresh cherry tomatoes
1 beaten egg
2 tsp cream for egg wash
freshly torn basil, shaved parmesan cheese, and/or fennel fronds for topping
Slice the onion and fennel into thin strips and start to sauté with the 2 tbsp butter in a pan on medium-low heat. Cover the pan with a lid or foil. Check every 3 to 5 minutes and add a few tablespoons of water and stir so any brown bits start to caramelize. Cover again. Repeat over the course of half an hour to an hour, or until the onions and fennel are golden brown and reduced to a quarter of their original volume with no remaining liquid.
Roll your dough to 1/8” thickness, and feel free to trim the edges to make a more even circle. Place the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread all the cheese in the center of the crust, leaving a few inches around the perimeter bare. Then add the caramelized fennel and onion, followed by the tomatoes.
Preheat your oven to 425 Fahrenheit. Fold and crimp the dough’s edge to form a barrier so no contents can escape the galette. Brush the crust with egg wash. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until nicely golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through.
You should let the galette rest for 10 to 15 minutes — the tomatoes will be far too hot to eat immediately. Top with torn fresh basil, shaved parmesan cheese, and/or fennel fronds just before serving.
Jon Bennion was born and raised in Billings and has lived in various parts of Montana nearly his whole life. Outside of his day job as an attorney, you can find Jon experimenting in the kitchen and developing recipes that often feature a Montana ingredient or story. Jon posts on Instagram as an Intermediate Chef (@intermediatechef) and lives in Clancy, MT.
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PhotoCredit: Jon Bennion
Image 1 Caption: Logo
Image 2 Caption: Rustic Tart
Photo Credits: Jon Bennion
