Savoring Summer’s Harvest -Tomato and Zucchini Galette

Since I started doing social media, I learned that there is a national food holiday for every day of the year. August 8 is “Sneak some zucchini onto your neighbor’s front porch.” If you have ever had a garden and grown zucchini, you love this holiday. When I grew zucchini, I’d go into my garden and think, “This squash needs one more day before I pick it.” The next day I would go to pick it, and it would be huge. If I had ever imagined I could sneak onto my neighbor’s porch and leave my over-sized zucchini, I would have done so. The thought just never crossed my mind. Instead, I found multiple ways of using zucchini. Adding zucchini to a tomato galette is just one.

For this particular recipe, I like using small tomatoes that are about the same diameter as zucchini. It makes a more attractive presentation. If you struggle finding small tomatoes, consider purchasing Campari tomatoes. You can make basil pesto from scratch if you have at least two cups of basil. We love buying Cosco’s Kirkland® brand basil pesto. It is made with Genovese basil and is delicious. As Ina Garten says, “Store bought is fine.”

If your neighbor left some zucchini on your front porch, consider making my Tomato and Zucchini galette. If not, this time of year both veggies are at their peak, so it is the perfect time to purchase them either at your local farmer’s market or at the grocery store.

Tomato and Zucchini Galette

Makes 8 slices

For the crust:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

½ cup Crisco® shortening

3 to 5 tablespoons cold water

In a large bowl, sift flour and salt together. Add thyme leaves and stir to combine. Add shortening and cut in with a pastry blender or a fork until the mixture is the size of small peas. The smaller the pieces, the more tender the pastry.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon water over the mixture and gently toss with a fork. Repeat this process until the mixture is moist. The less water that is added, the more tender the pastry. It is not necessary to add all of the water. Form the mixture into a ball. Refrigerate the ball for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Flatten the ball on a lightly floured surface by pressing it with the edges of your hand 3 times across in both directions. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough from the center out to the edges until the dough is ⅛-inch thick and 12-inches in diameter. When making a galette, it is not necessary to make a circle.

Transfer the pie dough to the baking sheet.

For the galette filling:

¼ cup Alouette® Garlic and Herbs spreadable cheese

2 tablespoons basil pesto

2 to 3 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded

1 zucchini, thinly sliced

2 to 3 small heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Fresh thyme leaves

1 egg, beaten + 1 tablespoon water

Spread the Alouette onto the pie dough, leaving a 1 ½-inch border. Spread the basil pesto over the Alouette. Sprinkle cheddar cheese evenly over the basil pesto.

Alternate zucchini and tomato slices over cheese, overlapping them slightly as needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle gorgonzola evenly over tomato and zucchini slices and garnish with fresh thyme leaves.

Fold the edge of the dough over tomatoes. In a small bowl, place egg and water and whisk to combine. Using a pastry brush, brush the crust with egg wash.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling bubbles. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Tips on selecting squash: Select small to medium squash with shiny, taut skin. Smaller squashes are normally more tender and have fewer seeds. If the skin is lightly scratched or bruised, it will not compromise the quality of the squash. Do not buy overly large squash or ones with pitted skin or a spongy texture. Soft spots or wrinkled skin are signs of age or rot.

Tips on storing squash: When placed in reusable, paper, or plastic bags and stored in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator, summer squash will keep 1 week.

Tips on selecting tomatoes: Select firm and plump tomatoes that feel heavy for their size. Do not buy pale, spotted, or mushy specimens. Avoid tomatoes with blemishes or cracks. Color is the best indicator of quality. Pick brightly colored tomatoes. My father taught me to shop with my nose. Smell the stem end of the tomato. If it’s ripe, it will smell like a tomato. Ripe tomatoes should give slightly when pressed but not feel rock hard.

Tips on storing tomatoes: Tomatoes must be treated gently. Place only ripened tomatoes in the refrigerator. Cool temperatures slow the ripening process. To ripen, place tomatoes at room temperature stem side down. To hasten the ripening process, place tomatoes in a paper bag and keep at room temperature.

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

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