Heirloom Tomato Thyme Ricotta Galette

Juicy sweet summer tomatoes layered on top of creamy whipped ricotta and thyme, all tucked in a buttery crust. This Heirloom Tomato Thyme Ricotta Galette is a summer pleasure you definitely want to try. Of course, it’s tasty but with the heirloom tomatoes and tiny thyme leaves, it also looks really pretty. A perfect centerpiece for you brunch party will be this Heirloom Tomato Thyme Ricotta Galette!

As a food photographer, vibrant fresh seasonal produce is one of my favorite subjects to photograph. I often grab produce without even thinking how I am going to use it in a dish. That’s exactly what happened when I saw these gorgeous heirloom tomatoes.

A delicious raw salad or simply topped on a crusty toast are the best ways to go with these seasonal sweet tomatoes. But I figured that making a galette or tart would be the best way to make my kid enjoy these juicy tomatoes. Funny how just a couple of years back, he used to eat raw tomatoes like candy and now he makes a face and runs away. Like million other toddlers, he too loves pizza so, you can imagine how much he enjoyed this Tomato Thyme Ricotta Galette.

What is a Galette?

Galette is a free form shaped tart where the fruits or veggies are piled up in the center of the buttery crust and the edges are folded at about an inch. You don’t need a special tart pan or any fancy gadget. Galette is rustic and requires less effort to shape it.

Crostatas and Galettes are the same! Crostata is an Italian term and Galette is French

How to make Heirloom Tomato Thyme and Ricotta Galette

The crust: Like any other pie/tart dough, this is a simple one that includes all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, ice water and butter crust.

The filling: Ricotta cheese is whipped with egg, garlic, salt and fresh thyme leaves. Then, it’s spread evenly and topped with thinly sliced heirloom tomatoes and a few cherry tomatoes.

Key point to remember while making the crust for Tomato Thyme Ricotta Galette:

• Make sure that the butter is really cold. Instead of cutting the butter into the flour, grate the cold butter using a fork or pastry cutter into the flour. This kitchen-tip will make it very easy to uniformly mix the butter around.
• Make sure that the water is ice cold too so that the butter doesn’t melt as you form the dough.
• Do not knead too much. Just bring it together and try to make a few layers by folding it a few times.
• Allow the dough to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you roll it out.

Assembling the Heirloom Tomatoes Thyme and Ricotta Galette 

• Preheat the oven before you start rolling the dough
• After you roll the dough, place it in the cookie sheet and add the filling.
• Remember to not fill till the edge. You need 1-inch of the crust to fold it over.
• Once the galette is baked, let it rest for 5 minutes before you slice.

When Avyan saw me assembling the galette/crostata, he screamed with joy and tried really hard to pronounce galette! Super cute, I tell you. He even went for a second slice and that made me a very happy mommy.

Here are couple more interesting tarts you want to try!

Asparagus Prosciutto Phyllo Tart

Fruit and Meringue Tart

Heirloom Tomato Thyme and Ricotta Galette

Juicy sweet summer tomatoes layered on top of creamy whipped ricotta and thyme, all tucked in a buttery crust. This Heirloom Tomato Thyme and Ricotta Galette is a summer pleasure you definitely want to try.

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Ingredients

• for the crust
• ½ cup cold butter
• 1 and ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar, optional, but a little sugar works wonderfully with tartness of tomato
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• ¼ cup ice water
• for the filling:
• 1 and ¼ cup ricotta cheese
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaf, plus little extra to sprinkle on top
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus little extra to sprinkle on top
• 2 big heirloom tomatoes
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 2 eggs

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar and salt. Mix it together. Grate the cold butter into the bowl and using your hand, mix it around evenly. Pour the white vinegar and ice-cold water. Mix it together without kneading too much.
2. Drop the whole thing on a board and bring the dough together into a rectangular shape (it might take a little while but do not add any extra water). Fold the rectangle and then, spread it once again to form a rectangle. Fold again and repeat this process four to five times. Wrap the dough in a clear wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. You can make the dough in advance and keep it in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks or freeze it for months!
3. When you are ready to prepare the galette, take it out of the refrigerator and leave it aside for 5 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400 F and slice the heirloom tomatoes into thin slices. Slice the cherry tomatoes in halves. Also, make the whipped ricotta by whisking it with garlic, 1 egg, fresh thyme leaves and salt.
4. Place a parchment paper on a big cookie sheet.
5. Dust a little flour on your rolling pin and on the board. Start rolling the dough from center to outwards, rotate and roll again. Dust a little flour. Flip and roll again to ¼ inch thin.
6. Carefully lift the rolled dough and place it on the cookie sheet. Spread the whipped ricotta evenly, keeping 1 inch away from the edge.
7. Layer the sliced tomatoes on top of the ricotta. Now, gather the edges and carefully fold it over the tomatoes.
8. In a bowl, whisk 1 egg with 1-teaspoon water. Using a pastry brush, brush the edges. Spread little more fresh thyme leaves on the folded crust and on top of the tart. Sprinkle little salt on the tomatoes and drizzle the oil.
9. Place the cookie sheet in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the crust looks golden brown.