I’ve been working to use the last good summer veggies while they’re here—hopefully, the tomatoes in my yard will ripen before the first frost. In addition to my own tomatoes, my neighbor went on vacation and told me before she left to take a few of her ripe ones so they wouldn’t go to waste. Talk about abundance!
So here we go with another solution to use them up. It’s been a few years since I made a galette, so using some of these up seems like a viable solution. I like to add zucchini, so I headed to the farmers’ market for those. The squash bugs got my plants this year, so the lesson learned for 2025 is to watch for them early in the season. Luckily enough, the zucchini at the farmers’ market still had flowers on them, so I knew they would be tender, and that’s exactly what I got.
This is a time-consuming recipe (yes, it will take a couple of hours), so be sure you have the time before starting. You can save some time by making the ricotta cheese filling ahead. You can also use goat cheese made with garlic and herbs, which I did. If you can’t find that, regular goat cheese can be used, and you can mix it with your own herbs. Dill, thyme, and parsley would all work nicely.
I use a mandoline to slice most of my veggies—it works great if you have one. The mandoline produces beautiful, thin, consistently sized slices quickly—you just have to watch your fingers!
Heirloom Tomato and Zucchini Galette
For the Pastry
- 1 cup all-purpose or pastry flour
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter
- ¼ cup ice water
- A pinch of salt
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
For the Ricotta Filling
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup herb/garlic goat cheese or plain goat cheese + 1 clove minced garlic and a handful of fresh herbs
- Salt & pepper to taste
For the Veggie Topping
- 1 cup thinly sliced zucchini
- ½ tsp salt
- 2-3 heirloom tomatoes, slice thin
- A few sliced red onion
- Basil leaves for topping
- 1 egg whisked with 1 Tbsp of water (for pastry egg wash)
Start with the pastry:
Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or two knives until it resembles small peas. Add the water and thyme leaves and work the mixture into a ball with your hands. Flatten it into a disk, wrap it with plastic wrap, and chill it in the refrigerator.
While it’s chilling, prepare the veggies:
Slice the zucchini thinly with a mandoline or knife and add it to a small bowl. Sprinkle with the teaspoon of salt and gently mix. Set aside to release excess water.
Slice the tomatoes and place them on a plate with paper towels to absorb as much water as possible. Pat them with another paper towel on top.
Prepare the filling:
Whiz all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth and thoroughly blended. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
Assembly:
Place a piece of parchment paper on a tray or large cutting board. Sprinkle flour on the paper and roll the pastry out into a 12”—14” circle.
With an offset spatula, spread the ricotta mixture on the middle of the circle, leaving about 1-½—2 inches from the outer edge of the pastry.
Drain the zucchini and pat dry with paper towels, then layer it evenly on the ricotta mixture.
Next, layer the tomatoes on top of the zucchini, lightly seasoning them with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the onion slices on top of the tomatoes.
Fold the pastry’s outer edges over the veggies, partially enclosing them in the pastry.
Refrigerate the entire galette for at least an hour—chilling improves the pastry’s texture.
Then, preheat the oven to 375º F.
Before placing in the oven, brush the egg and water mixture over the pastry.
Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing, then garnish with basil leaves. Makes about 6-8 servings.
Do not use the microwave to reheat any leftovers, as it makes the pastry soggy.
