Tomato Onion Galette

Behold, the Kumato.

I was skeptical, but curious, when I first laid eyes on these brownish-green fruits. Apparently, Kumatos come from an old strand of wild tomatoes. The pull, besides the funky color, is that it is edible at all stages of the ripening process.

Depending on the light, they looked purple, then green, then a rich, inky brown. The purple flesh inside was dark and sweet, with just a hit of earthiness. Not at all pale or mealy as I would have expected, given that the middle of January is not exactly the prime season. Lost in that juicy moment, I could almost swear it was summer in my kitchen.

This rustic tomato tart was the perfect solution for my new ingredient. Think of it like a reinvented pizza; the base is rolled out, ingredients are piled in the center, then the dough is simply folded up around it like a purse.

The wheat crust was nice and hearty and kept me full for hours after eating. The flavor is intense though, so f you’re not a whole wheat junkie, just use more white flour.

Because the tomato was so sweet, I paired it with salty mozzarella cheese and slowly-caramelized onions. I seriously cannot WAIT to make this in the heat of summer, using ingredients from my garden. It’s nice to live in an area where one can buy any sort of vegetable at any time in the year, but you really can’t beat a fresh, local harvest.

Because I was in an experimental mood, some of my mandatory days-end beer managed to end up in the pan. A brief saute in Yuengling lager brought a really intense and unexpected flavour to the dish. You’re welcome to skip out and save every last sip for yourself, though I recommend trying it. Just a splash will do.

“J’aime la galette, savez-vous comment ? Quand elle est bien faite, avec du beurre dedans!”

Tomato and Caramelized Onion Galette

Ingredients:

Crust:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. sugar
1-1/4 tsp. salt
6 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup ice water

Filling:

2 medium-sized Kumato or heirloom tomatoes (or something similar in size and body)
4 cherry tomatoes
1 medium white onion
generous splash of dark lager (optional)
3 oz fresh Buffalo mozzarella, sliced (you’ll need about 3-4 slices)
salt and pepper
few sprigs dried rosemary
pinch red chili flakes
1 egg, mixed with 1 tbsp water or milk (for eggwash)

Directions:

To make crust – In a mixer or large bowl, mix the flours, sugar and salt. Cut in the chilled butter until evenly distributed and dough becomes crumbly.  Add olive oil and ice water, then mix until dough comes together. Turn out on a floured surface and knead for a moment. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for half an hour in the refrigerator.

To make filling – Cut onion into thin slices. Over a low heat, saute in a little bit of oil for five to ten minutes, until starting to brown. If you choose, add beer and cook ten minutes more, until liquid is soaked up and onions are nice and soft but not mushy. The trick is to leave them alone long enough to truly brown, but stir enough to avoid burning. Season to taste as you go along. Remove from heat and set aside.

Slice tomatoes into thin slices, about 1/4″ thick (thinner for cherry tomatoes).

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Remove dough from fridge and roll out onto a lightly-floured surface. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange your dough on top.

To assemble, first spread caramelized onions in the center. Cover with mozzarella, then top with sliced heirloom tomatoes. Arrange smaller cherry tomato slices on top. Season with salt, pepper, chili flakes and rosemary. Gather the edges of the dough around the ingredients, pinching to hold together. The dough should not touch at the top; rather, it should leave a circle of the filling exposed. Brush with an eggwash made from one eggs and a bit of milk or water.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes until crust is nicely browned and the cheese has melted.