This is one of the most delicious summer food recipes you can find. I make this fantastic tomato & feta galette when I crave just bread and cheese for dinner. It is a huge upgrade with sweet lovely tomatoes, creamy feta, and a buttery, flaky crust. What’s not to like?
What is a galette?
Galette in French cuisine is a single crust, free-form pie with a vegetable or fruit filling and the crust folded partway over the top of the filling.
If you’ve never made a galette before, the first thing you need to know is that galettes are quite simple to make. The crust is really easy and it does not need to rest for a long time. Some crusts have ground nuts like pistachios or walnuts even grated parmesan cheese mixed in with the flour.
As for the fillings, the sky is the limit. You can basically use anything you like.
Sweet galettes have fillings of seasonal fruits like apples, strawberries, blueberries, peaches and plums.
Savory galettes are filled with a mix of cut vegetables, or fruits like figs, gruyère, cheddar or goat cheese and meat like prosciutto, sausage etc
This a Greek style tomato & feta galette filled with lovely tomatoes, fresh herbs like basil and mint and creamy feta cheese.
What you need
- All purpose flour. You can also use bread flour if you have it handy.
- Good quality butter. If you use salted just omit the teaspoon of salt when you mix the dough.
- Extra virgin olive oil to sprinkle all over while you are assembling and for serving.
- Good quality feta cheese. I am not a fan of the prepackaged feta cheese you find at the supermarket with the exception of Dodoni, it is a Greek brand and I really like their flavor. Please don’t buy prepackaged french feta, and certainly avoid fat free feta. Fat free feta is non-existent in Greece and is pretty much flavorless. In general I firmly believe that fat in cheese is a lovely necessity 🙂
- A little bit of ricotta cheese to mix with the feta.
- Fresh herbs like basil and mint. They make any dish feel like summer.
- Good tomatoes of any size. I love mixing different sizes and colors of tomatoes for this galette. In the summer there is an abundance of good tomatoes in farmers markets so choose your favorites.
- Thinly sliced onions.
1. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Work in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Drizzle in 5-6 tablespoons of water, stirring gently until everything is evenly moistened. Add a final tablespoon of water if necessary. 2. Pat the dough into a disk, wrap in a reusable silicone bag, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Mix one cup of feta with 1-2 tbs ricotta cheese. Mix well. Add the fresh herbs, the dry oregano, the olive oil and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper. Mix well, making sure there are no big chunks of feta left. 4. Cut the tomatoes into thin slices and place them on a paper towel rimmed plate.
5. In a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an approximately 12″ circle. I usually place parchment paper half way under the rolled out dough and finish rolling it out, it makes it easier to transfer the whole thing to the baking sheet when done. 6. Spread the cheese mixture over the dough, leaving a 1.5″ wide bare strip along the perimeter.
7. Follow with a layer of tomato slices. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add some onion slices. Sprinkle a tiny bit of brown sugar all over. Repeat a layer of tomatoes and onion, filling the space to your preference ( I like to mix the different colors/sizes of tomatoes I might have). Season with a little salt, pepper and a tiny sprinkle of brown sugar. 8. Fold the bare edges of the dough towards the center. Brush the exposed edges of the crust with egg wash. Sprinkle a small pinch of chili pepper flakes all over.
Bake the galette for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Why is this tomato galette different?
There are three steps I follow when I make it.
- Step number one is using one cup of good Greek feta cheese mixed with a 1 tbsp of ricotta. Ricotta resembles a Greek cheese called Anthotyros that is often used in various pies in Greece. I love mixing it with the feta because it slightly lightens it and adds a faint sweetness to an otherwise savory flavor.
- Second is mixing fresh herbs in with the cheese. Basil, mint & feta is a killer combination that I can’t have enough of. It adds a layer of flavor that is quite different from just adding chopped herbs on top.
- The third, last & best step is to add a very thin sprinkle of brown sugar on top of the tomatoes as you layer them. The sugar breaks any tanginess the tomato might have and creates the perfect sweet and savory bite at the end. For me it is the most important step.
How can I avoid a “soggy bottom”
Making a tomato galette can result in a soggy crust due to excess moisture from the tomatoes. One thing I do to avoid this is to place the tomato slices on a kitchen towel right after slicing and pat them lightly right before layering. Another trick is to add a healthy layer of cheese first and then the tomatoes. That way I create a protective barrier and the soggy bottom is a thing of the past.
This fresh tomatoes recipe has many layers of flavor. It is sweet, savory, spicy and fresh, all at the same time. Don’t wait until the end of tomato season to add it to your meal rotation. You’ll be sorry if you do — I’m certain of it.
Tips & Tricks
- You can substitute the butter in the dough with 1/4 cup+ 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- For wrapping dough before resting in the refrigerator I use a reusable silicone bag that I wrap pretty tight. I try not to use cling wrap anymore, it creates so much plastic waste.
More galettes please!
- This squash galette with goat cheese & prosciutto is a truly lovely.
- The leek & potato galette has delicate and earthy flavors.
- For a quick summer lunch you can’t beat this yellow squash tart.
If you’ve tried this recipe or any other on The Greek Foodie, then don’t forget to rate it and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it.
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Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
for the crust
- 1 1/2 cups all-Purpose Flour
- 1 tbs dry Greek oregano
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cold
- 1/2 teaspoon salt in the flour
- 5 – 6 tablespoons cold water
For the egg wash
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
For the filling
- 1 cup feta cheese always get Greek
- 1-2 tbs ricotta cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 10 fresh mint leaves coarsely chopped
- 10 fresh basil leaves coarsely chopped
- 1 tbsp dry greek oregano
- 1-2 tomatoes thinly sliced
- 1/4 onion thinly sliced
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- salt
- fresh ground pepper
for serving
- chili pepper flakes
- extra virgin olive oil
- fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. Work in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Drizzle in 5 tablespoons of water, stirring gently until everything is evenly moistened; add the final tablespoon of water if necessary to make a cohesive dough.
- Pat the dough into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Make the filling and assemble
- Mix one cup of feta with 1-2 tbs ricotta cheese. Mix well. Add the fresh herbs, the dry oregano, the olive oil and a generous amount of fresh ground pepper. Mix well, making sure there are no big chunks of feta left.
- Cut the tomatoes into thin slices and place them on a paper towel rimmed plate.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into an approximately 12" circle. Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Spread the cheese mixture over the dough, leaving a 1.5"-2" wide bare strip along the perimeter.
- Add a layer of tomato slices. Season lightly with salt and fresh ground pepper. Add some onion slices. Sprinkle a tiny bit of brown sugar all over. Repeat a layer of tomatoes and onion, filling the space to your preference (I like to mix the different colors/sizes of tomatoes I might have). Season with a little salt, pepper and a tiny sprinkle of brown sugar.
- Fold the bare edges of the dough towards the center. Brush the exposed edges of the crust with egg wash. Sprinkle a small pinch of chili pepper flakes all over.
- Bake the galette for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
just tried my very first Galette and it was divine! And a big success, I already had to promise to make another one tomorrow. Thank you Jenny, this is a keeper! And looks so pretty..
Thank you Karini, it means so much to me that you liked it and making another already! x
This is now my 5th time I am making the galette. I am addicted to this wonderful dish!
Thank you so much Karin! x