This kind of tart, made with a folded crust instead of in a pie plate or tart pan, is immensely popular in France, where it is often called a galette. Crusts are sometimes made with buckwheat flour; this one combines all-purpose flour with cornmeal. David Lebovitz, whose recipe I’ve adapted here, says you can use any grind of polenta or cornmeal, or substitute more all-purpose flour or buckwheat if you’d rather not use the cornmeal. To my mouth, the cornmeal gives a sturdier texture that holds up well with the tomatoes.
The recipe calls for chilling the dough, and you should do that, to let the gluten relax – really, who wants tense gluten? It makes the dough easier to roll, and allows the dough to more fully hydrate, meaning it will shrink less in the oven. You will have to let it sit on the counter 20-30 minutes before rolling, so factor that into your dinner plans. You can make the dough up to 3 days in advance.
When I saw Lebovitz call for tucking “slices” of ricotta into the tomatoes, I feared what he was using is ricotta salata, a drier, firmer version of the ricotta we all know, which comes in little plastic tubs or balls.
I added fresh herbs before and after baking, borrowing from a household favorite, Tomato Camembert Pie. Use whatever you have; here, it was a mixture of oregano, basil, and parsley. Tarragon and savory are very French, and very yummy, if you want to add a spring or two.
The mustard forgot to show for its closeup. Lebovitz says he prefers Dijon while his partner prefers the grainier variety. We love both, so I spread Dijon over the dough and added a little whole grain, sometimes called old-style or country mustard.
A while back, Mr. Right spotted a tomato knife in a kitchen shop – a serrated blade with a hook on the end for popping the core. We started using our bread knife for slicing tomatoes. You’re welcome.
Serve with lightly dressed salad greens, crusty bread, and a glass of a crisp white wine for a trip to France, no shoes or airplane needed!
Bon appetit!
Summer Tomato Tart
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