“We made great time, just over the bridge,” said the text. Friends were arriving after a long drive — but hours earlier than I expected them to. I would have to pull together a welcome lunch from what I had in the house: a zucchini, some tomatoes, Parmesan cheese. I have learned to have a disc of pie dough on hand to pull together a dessert à la minute. But for this moment, a savory galette came to mind. Galette is a fancy French word for a rustic free-form pie. No pie or tart pan is needed, so it’s a dish that’s ideal for a less than well-equipped summer kitchen.
I knew the watery squash would make the crust soggy, but the idea of precooking it didn’t seem worth the effort. I wondered if a technique I use for Turkish zucchini pancakes — grating and salting the squash to draw out excess moisture — would work.
I tossed the zucchini with a bit of flour, to be on the safe side, and added a handful of Parmesan and herbs from the garden before spreading the mixture on a thin disc of crust. I scattered halved cherry tomatoes on top and folded the dough around the vegetables to make a compact package. If this was a bust, there would always be fried clams from one of our local shacks.
Those tricks worked. The zucchini melted into a delicious custard-like base pumped up by the tomato’s juices. What started out as a risky improvisation has become my signature summer dish. Sometimes I change up the cheese: cheddar, feta, or goat are all good. When I don’t have tomatoes, I swap in roasted peppers. It is always delicious.
If you don’t want to make the crust, that’s OK. There are readymade ones in the freezer section. But if you’ve been reading these pages for a while you know that I’m a pie dough evangelist, and I’m including instructions here that I promise will work even if this is your very first crust.
A homemade dough pulsed together in a food processor is very straightforward. I usually make mine by hand for the tactile, zen-like practice of working the cold butter into the flour for a flaky crust. Whatever route you choose, having a disc of dough on hand is super helpful whenever a houseful of hungry guests arrives.
Serving up a wedge of galette with local greens and a glass of rosé is one way to “stick the landing” for visiting friends. They might not want to leave.
ZUCCHINI AND TOMATO GALETTE
Makes one free-form tart
For the crust
1½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar½ tsp. fine salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3-4 Tbsp. ice water
1 Tbsp. vodka (optional)
For the filling
1 medium zucchini or summer squash
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley or torn basil or both
2 Tbsp. finely grated Parmesan or pecorino, or a combination
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved, or a large tomato, diced
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
- Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal dotted with pea-size bits of butter. Add the vodka and enough water until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and almost comes together. Don’t overwork it.
- Alternatively, make the dough by hand: Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add about a third of the butter to the flour. Work the butter by hand or with a pastry cutter into very small pieces; the flour will look sandy. Add the rest of the butter, working it into pea-size bits. It’s fine if there are some larger bits — that adds to the flakiness of the crust. Mix the vodka and 3 tablespoons ice water and drizzle over the flour mixture. Toss together to moisten, adding up to one tablespoon of water as needed. The dough will start to coalesce into shaggy bits with powdery parts.
Turn the dough onto a sheet of parchment or wax paper or a kitchen towel. Use the paper or towel to press the loose dough together. Fold the edges into the center to make a cohesive disk with smooth edges and chill for at least one hour or overnight. The dough can be wrapped and frozen for a couple of months.
- Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater, letting it fall into a colander. Season it with 1½ teaspoons kosher salt and set it aside in the sink or over a bowl to drain for at least 15 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid. In a bowl, gently toss the grated zucchini with flour, herbs, and half the cheese. Halve the cherry tomatoes.
- Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400° F. Put a piece of parchment paper or silicone mat on a large cookie or baking sheet. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan.
- Place the zucchini mixture in the center of the pastry, about 3 inches from the outside edge. Scatter the tomatoes on top and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little olive oil and top with the remaining cheese. Fold and pleat the dough in towards the center, leaving the center exposed. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- To keep the galette from slumping during baking, roll up long pieces of foil into a band and surround the edges of the galette. An inverted pie shield can also work to hold the galette’s shape. Bake the galette on the middle rack until the pastry is golden brown and tomatoes are bubbling, about 45 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
