A delicious and simple Tomato Galette made with gluten free shortcrust pastry and layered with a little cheese and onion. Optional Dairy Free.
This post uses Affiliate links from which I may earn a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I also earn from qualifying purchases. Commission earned is at no extra cost to yourself. Thank you for supporting this blog.
Don’t Lose This Recipe… Pin it for Later
Tomato Galette – A simple summer tart
Whatever your baking skills, this simple and beautiful Tomato Galette is yours to make. Perfectly crisp gluten free shortcrust pastry folded around melted layered cheese, onion and juicy tomatoes, with the occasional sweet pepper surprise, and a generous sprinkling of herbs. It’s light yet satisfying and bursting with the flavours of summer.
Tomato Galette makes a delightful warm-weather lunch… It is also perfect for a gluten free picnic or lunch box. And can be served with a side of Hasselback Potatoes for a full-on meal.
The printable recipe is at the bottom of the post… But read on for all the tips and advice to make the most delicious and perfectly baked gluten free Tomato Galette in your very own kitchen.
What is a galette?
When it comes to the pastry form, a Galette is a simple type of open pie that is baked without the need for a tart tin or case… Fruit or veg is centrally piled onto a large circle of rolled pastry dough before the edges are roughly folded up and over the filling to keep it in. The whole thing is then cooked on a baking tray.
But while it may look rustic and a little ‘careless’ in form, do not be fooled by its simplicity. The humble galette is a thing of deliciousness… I mean what’s not to love about pastry filled with colourful, vibrant fruit or veg?! Whether served hot or cold, it’s one of life’s perfect pie delights.
And the filling is so versatile too… Check out my Spinach Tart (Spanakopita Galette) and my simple Pizza Galette.
Ingredients to make a Tomato Galette
Shortcrust Pastry
Like any pie, this simple gluten free Tomato Galette needs pastry! Although galettes can be made with puff pastry, I personally prefer them with a straightforward, no-frills shortcrust.
The pastry recipe shared on the attached recipe card is in fact the same gluten free pastry I use to make my Cornish Pasties… chosen for its particular flexibility and crispness once baked. However, I have also made Tomato Galette previously with my ‘go to’ Gluten Free Shortcrust Pastry, which also works really well.
Ultimately though… the pastry recipe you choose to use is up to you. Galettes are both flexible and forgiving. If the dough is a little more fragile, don’t worry. Simply ‘patch it up’ and bake anyway… rustic and messy is fine!
Alternatively, use a commercial pastry that comes either as a mix or is chilled or frozen. Just make sure the dough has been allowed to soften at room temperature before rolling it out, to get the best pliability for folding.
The tomatoes
Again, the choice of tomatoes is also flexible. Any size and shape will do. But I think a Tomato Galette looks its best when made with a variety of colourful tomatoes, so they can be arranged like a piece of edible art.
For large tomatoes, arrange them in thick slices next to and gently overlapping each other. With small cherry tomatoes, halve them to show their internal glory and set them on the base cut side up.
Other Ingredients
The recipe I have shared also adds grated cheese, sliced red onion and a little sweet pepper to the galette.
Sprinkling cheese as the first layer on the pastry not only adds protein, substance and a wonderful savoury flavour, but also helps to prevent the base from becoming soggy with the juice from the tomatoes, by creating a ‘seal’ at the bottom of the bake.
Sliced onions and sweet pepper are added for extra flavour and interest.
The seasoning is up to you… I use a good grind of both sea salt and black pepper along with some Italian dried herbs and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. But if you prefer to use fresh chopped herbs or even to spice the galette with a little fresh chilli or dried chilli flakes, then feel free to play!
Is Tomato Galette safe for Coeliacs to eat?
As long as the Tomato Galette is made with gluten free pastry, then yes… it is perfectly safe for people with Coeliac Disease (Celiac). ALL the filling ingredients are naturally gluten free!
Can I make a Tomato Galette that’s dairy free as well as gluten free?
Yes you can! But to make a Tomato Galette that is also dairy free, you will need a couple of basic subs…
- If making the pastry at home, use dairy free ‘block’ butter alternative (I recommend either Flora Plant B+tter or Stork vegan blocks in the UK).
- Use dairy free cheese for the base of the galette filling.
All the other ingredients are naturally dairy free.
tips to make the perfect Tomato Galette
Making any galette requires very little skill. But if you are a newby baker, sometimes it helps to have a little extra advice at the ready. So here’s a few nubs of alchemist wisdom to help you…
Gluten free pastry tips
- If you’ve struggled with making pastry in the past, then head over to my Step-by Step Guide to Gluten Free Shortcrust Pastry. Here you’ll find the what, how and why you need to make ‘bad’ gluten free pastry a thing of the past.
- If you’re more experienced with gluten free pastry, try using the optional ‘fraisering’ technique for a lighter, flakier texture. Fraisering is described on the recipe card for Tomato Galette and is also shown in pictures in my post for Cornish Pasties as well as my Chicken Tikka Pasty recipe.
- When making galette, don’t roll the pastry too thin (although you don’t want it ridiculously thick either). For the full batch of pastry as given in the recipe, you are aiming to roll it to a rough circle about 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter.
- When rolling and folding the pastry, it’s best to bring it to room temperature first. This will support its pliability and limit the risk of cracking (meaning you are less likely to overwork it as well).
- Embrace a rough appearance. A rustic galette is still a delicious galette.
- Help secure the pastry by brushing a little egg wash into the folds.
- Remember to egg wash the dough edge before baking for a golden finish.
Avoiding a ‘soggy bottom’ to the pastry
No one wants a soggy pie bottom. But with Tomato Galette, it’s perhaps more likely due to the higher levels of juice released from tomatoes when they cook. So what’s the best way to avoid it?
Although some recipes suggest ‘salting’ the tomatoes in advance of layering on the pastry, I found this to be relatively ineffective. And regardless of dabbing off the salt, the tomatoes remained over-seasoned for my taste.
Instead (and in addition to sprinkling a little cheese on the pastry base underneath the tomatoes), simply bake the galette at 180 C (350 F) for 30 minutes or so (as would be normal)… And then turn the oven down a notch and continue to bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes to evaporate off excess tomato juice.
Other tips
- Place colourful cherry tomatoes cut side up for the prettiest Tomato Galette.
- Chill the galette in the fridge before baking to firm the pastry dough, so that it ‘sets shape’ more effectively in the oven.
- Let it cool for a few minutes before eating as the tomatoes are scolding hot!
How to serve and store Tomato Galette
Tomato Galette can be eaten hot, warm or cold and is delicious either way. It can be eaten as it is for a light lunch. Or is perfect with a side of potatoes and salad for a more substantial meal.
To store leftovers or for a picnic/lunch box… Allow to cool completely, before wrapping in foil and storing in the fridge.
Tomato galette can also be frozen (once cooked) for up to 2 months if well-wrapped.
Ready to make Gluten Free Tomato Galette?
The recipe for my Tomato Galette with gluten free shortcrust pastry is just below (scroll an inch or two further). I hope you love it.
Don’t forget to let me know what you think. And if you have any questions, just ask. You can leave a comment at the bottom or message me on social media (Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest).
Love pies and pastry? Did you know we have a dedicated index for Gluten Free Savoury Pies? And another for Sweet Pastry Recipes as well!
And for everything else, check out our main Gluten Free Recipe Index. It’s easy to navigate and explore all our recipes from there by clicking on the images.
All shared with my love for free
Tomato Galette (Gluten Free)
Key equipment
- fridge/freezer
- flat table knife
- palette knife/cake scraper optional
- sharp vegetable knife
- chopping board
- large baking tray
- Oven
Ingredients
'Pasty' Pastry
- 110 g Gluten Free Rice Free Flour Blend B GFA Blend B – See NOTES for individual flour ratios
- 55 g gram flour (also known as chickpea flour, garbanzo flour or besan)
- 55 g potato starch flour (additional to the blend B)
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- ½ tsp baking powder gluten free
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 55 g unsalted butter (or good dairy free block alternative) very cold and cubed
- 55 g lard (or Trex white vegetable fat) very cold and cubed
- 1 large egg UK large (Canadian ‘Extra Large’; Australian ‘Jumbo’; and US ‘Extra or Very Large’)
- 2½ tbsp very cold water
- extra flour for dusting and rolling
Filling
- 100 g Cheddar cheese (or alternative hard cheese) – grated
- 50 g red onion – finely sliced (approximate weight)
- 400 g cherry tomatoes/tomatoes (preferably varying colours) – halved (or thick-slice large tomatoes)
- 2 mini sweet peppers (any colour) – sliced/chunked
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ tsp dried mixed herbs (or to taste)
- sprigs of thyme to garnish (or alternative such as fresh basil or parsley)
Egg wash
- an additional egg and a drop of milk beaten together
Instructions
Pastry
- It helps to chill the bowl in advance to keep the ingredients cool when rubbing the fat into the flour. Or alternatively use a pastry cutter to cut the fat into the flour.
- Weigh the flours, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt into a large bowl and mix together until evenly combined.
- Add the butter and lard/Trex to the bowl and rub or cut into the flour mixture using finger tips/pastry blender, until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Optional : For best results, chill the flour-fat mixture before adding the liquid, especially if the weather/room is warm.
- In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the water and then pour into the crumb mixture.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the mix using a table knife until it begins to clump together.
- Once it is beginning to come together as a dough, leave the mixture to stand for 10 to 15 minutes to fully absorb the liquid.
- Finally, bring the dough together with hands and press into a ball. If not 'fraisering' the dough (see below), then lightly work the mixture between your hands until smooth.
OPTIONAL 'fraisering' of the pastry dough (makes extra flaky) – For photos of the technique, see post for Cornish Pasties.
- To fraiser, place the block of pastry on a clean work surface (do not dust with flour).
- Take a flexible palette knife or dough/cake scraper and cut into the front edge of the dough block. As it slices through, tilt the palette knife/scraper downwards so that the top of the blade tilts towards your waist.
- Press the dough down flat on the work surface and pull it across the work top towards you, in a smearing action.
- Smear the same cut of dough three times and then gather it up onto the scraper and place in a pile to the side.
- Continue this process until you have worked through all the pastry dough.
- Carefully push the pile of fraisered dough together (do not knead or ‘work’) and then gently lift and drop the dough ball on the work surface many times, until it blends together into a soft, smooth pastry.
- You can use straight away, or wrap in cling film, flatten slightly and chill to use later.
- When ready to use the dough, take from the fridge if chilled and gently warm with the palm of your hand until it becomes more pliable and rollable.
Making the Galette
- Prepare the egg-wash by fork-beating an egg together with a drop of milk in a bowl. Set aside.
- Grate the cheese, finely slice the onion and peppers and cut the cherry tomatoes in half (or slice for large tomatoes) and place to one side.
- On a large sheet of well-floured baking paper (and with the dough also dusted on top), roll the dough ball into a large circle about 30 cm (12 inches) in diameter. Check it's not sticking while you roll and re-flour the base as necessary. The rolled pastry should be about 4 mm in thickness. It doesn't matter if the edges aren't neat!
- Leaving a pastry border of about 5 cm (2 inches), sprinkle the cheese to form a circle in the centre of the pastry. This will form a 'bed' for the vegetables.
- Next, scatter the sliced onion across the top of the cheese (reserving one or two slithers for the top of the pie).
- Then arrange the halved tomatoes on top of the cheese (CUT SIDE FACING UPWARDS) along with the pepper and the last of the onion.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs to taste.
- Brush the remaining pastry border with a little egg wash.
- Working around the border a section at a time, gently pull the pastry up and over the tomatoes, folding it over on itself to form a rustic overlap.
- To help secure the pastry in place, brush egg wash into the fold creases and lightly press together. Then glaze the top of the pastry with egg wash as well.
- Chill the uncooked galette in the fridge for about 30 to 45 minutes before baking.
- While chilling, pre-heat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4.
- Bake the galette for 30 to 35 minutes at 180 C (until golden), then turn the oven down to 170 C (338 F) and continue to bake for a further 10 to 15 mins. This last stage of baking helps to evaporate any significant excess tomato juice.
- Remove from the oven once cooked and enjoy hot, warm or cold.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Tomato Galette shared with
- What’s for Dinner #438 with The Lazy Gastronome
- Full Plate Thursday #659 with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
- Fiesta Friday with Angie
This would be a wonderful dish to serve at brunch! Beautiful enough for company. Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party. And thanks for bearing with my blunders!!
Thank you Helen. You’re very welcome. Thanks for hosting x