COOKING WITH FRIENDS: A SMASHINGLY BEAUTIFUL TOMATO GALETTE

It’s tomato time!  Happy dance everyone! First off, let’s just agree that a big, ripe, juicy tomato right off the vine is one of the best things out there.  But after you’ve filled yourself with tomato sandwiches and made pasta sauce by the bucket loads what else can you do with these beautiful babies?

Fortunately, my friend Billy and I can help!

Remember Billy and his wonderful Baked Goat Cheese Rolls?     You may recall that I mentioned that he had made a “smashingly beautiful tomato galette”, the recipe for which I was going to share with you when tomato season was upon us.  Well, that time is now.

Billy grows much of the produce he uses at the Reynolds Mansion B & B

So let’s return to Billy in his kitchen at the Reynold’s Mansion Bed & Breakfast, where he is preparing an Heirloom Tomato Galette with Honeyed Goat Cheese, Caramelized Shallots and Fresh Thyme. 

 Billy is the owner/innkeeper of The Reynold’s Mansion Bed & Breakfast Inn in Asheville, NC.  Here he grows much of the fresh produce which he uses in his cooking and also keeps bees for their honey.  The Reynold’s Mansion is beautiful inside and out and so is the food!

First the pastry.  By now I hope you have all gotten over your fear of pastry?  Billy’s pastry recipe is pretty close to mine but his technique is a little different.  I tried it on a pie I made and it is especially good if you are doing the pastry by hand and don’t have a pastry cutter.  You can use his recipe which I have included below or mine which you will find here.

After the pastry has chilled, roll it out into a 1/8” inch thick circle.  (I was so impressed by how precisely Billy was able to get his pastry rolled out.  Practice is key but it also helped that he made a circle of the dough before he put it into the fridge—lesson learned!)

Crumble the goat cheese in a circular motion over the rolled out pastry, leaving a 2” border.

Drizzle a heavy amount of honey over the goat cheese.  Try and use a wildflower honey if you can. Where the bees feed makes a difference in the flavor of the honey.  The next time you are in Asheville head on over to the Asheville Bee Charmer where they have a honey tasting bar and you can see for yourself!

Then top the cheese with caramelized shallots.

Season your tomato slices well with salt and pepper.  Billy chose red and yellow tomatoes for the color but you can use whatever you have that is fresh and in season. Layer the tomatoes on top of the rest of the filling then drizzle good quality olive oil over the whole thing and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.

Fold the edges of the  pastry up around the tomatoes and brush the crust with beaten egg.

Cook it for about an hour until the crust is golden and the tomatoes are browning.  Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Goat cheese, honey, fresh tomatoes, what’s not to love?  This is a mouthful of Summer love on a fork!

About The Reynolds Mansion
100 Reynolds Heights
Asheville, NC 28804
828-258-1111

The Reynolds Mansion is a top rated Asheville bed and breakfast that is also an iconic North Carolina landmark. Featuring 8 rooms in the Main House and 3  Carriage house Suites.  Extensive grounds and gardens.  Swimming pool. Step out of your vehicle and into a place with historical beauty so dramatic, it quiets the mind and stirs the heart.

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Heirloom Tomato Galette with Honeyed Goat Cheese and Caramelized Shallots, & Fresh Thyme

Author Billy Sanders

Ingredients

DOUGH:

• ½ cup Salted Butter
• 1½ cups All Purpose Flour sifted
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of sugar
• 1/3 cup cold water

FILLING:

• 4 Shallots diced
• 2 tsp extra virgin Olive Oil + more for drizzling
• 8 oz Goat Cheese
• 2 – 3 tbsps Honey
• 3 – 4 Heirloom Tomatoes Sliced
• ½ tsp salt & Coarse Black Pepper
• 2 tbsps Fresh Thyme
• 1 Large egg beaten

Instructions

1. Begin by preparing the dough. Using a handheld cheese grater grate butter into a small bowl, then freeze for 10 minutes). While butter freezes, combine flour, salt, and sugar in large mixing bowl.
2. When ready, whisk cold grated butter into flour mixture until a mealy texture takes hold, then slowly begin adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough takes shape. Next, gather dough in a ball and transfer to lightly floured surface before shaping into a flattened round. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap, then refrigerate for 45 minutes until dough is firm and cold.
3. While dough chills, in small skillet combine shallots and 2 tsps EVOO. Sauté over medium-high flame until shallots are lightly caramelized (10 minutes), then remove from heat to cool.
4. Preheat oven to 375F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, sprinkling the top with a touch of flour or cornmeal.
5. With a floured rolling-pin roll out the chilled dough into a 1/8″ thick sheet, then transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Crumble goat cheese in a circular motion over the rolled-out dough, leaving a roughly 2″ border along the edges. Drizzle a heavy serving of honey over goat cheese, then evenly top with caramelized shallots. Next, liberally season sliced tomatoes with salt & pepper before layering over goat cheese and shallots. Generously drizzle additional EVOO over tomatoes, then lastly sprinkle with thyme.
6. Fold up the edges of the dough around the tomatoes, then brush the crust with beaten egg. Bake galette for 1 hour* until the crust is golden and the tomatoes have begun to char, then cool for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

* Every oven is different, so begin watching the galette at the 45-minute mark for doneness