This flaky cherry tomato galette is the perfect summer recipe! Cherry tomatoes nestled atop a creamy farmer cheese herbed with rosemary and thyme. Let’s bake, friends!
This recipe is sponsored by Lifeway Kefir.
What is the Difference Between Cherry Tomatoes and Regular Tomatoes?
When I set out to make this galette, I knew I wanted to work with a tomato that had a little less fuss to it. I also wanted it to be juicy and have a bit of tartness to its bite. So that’s how we landed with the cherry tomato instead of the traditional tomato variety!
So what are the main differences, you ask?
Cherry tomatoes are clearly much smaller than regular ones and also more perfectly round, as opposed to oval-shaped. Regular tomatoes, while juicy, still have less water content than cherry; be prepared for a burst of juicy goodness with each bite.
In terms of flavor, regular tomatoes lean more on the sweet and tangy side, while cherry ones boast some tartness and can even be a little sour. Which is why I knew they’d be perfect for this cherry tomato galette. I wanted them to balance out some of the herbs at play here, as well as the cheese.
At the end of the day, you could easily swap these out for some thinly sliced heirloom tomatoes if you’re in pinch and find yourself without the cherry fellas.
Assembling the Cherry Tomato Galette
You want to make sure you’re working with a colder dough, so don’t skip the step where it firms up in the fridge. With that said, you don’t want it to be TOO firm or it’ll be hard to fold the crust overtop. Let’s break down the steps!
- Gently lay the dough into your quarter sheet pan and allow it to settle in—no need to press into the corners as we’ll be folding the outer dough overtop for our crust. If you don’t have a quarter sheet, you can easily bake this on a larger sheet or even roll into a 10-12in. circle like a traditional galette. It’s up to you!
- Spread out your herbed Lifeway Farmer Cheese mixture into an even layer, leaving a good 2-3in. border.
- Place your cut cherry tomatoes overtop the cheese, flat side down. You can rest some on top of the others once you’ve laid out the bottom layer.
- Fold the top side of your dough over your tomato layer. Then fold the right side, overlapping the top portion of the dough you’ve just folded over. Continue with the bottom and left sides, overlapping each time. There’s your crust!
- Generously brush your crust with the egg wash, making sure to get under those overlapping folds in the corners. You can gently press down to help seal them a bit more. Sprinkle some thyme over the crust and then drizzle your olive oil over the tomatoes.
- Add some sprigs of rosemary atop the cherry tomatoes, nestling some underneath the crust as well (see below).
Then you’ll just bake the cherry tomato galette at 400°F for 45-50 minutes or until desired browning!
Lifeway Kefir Farmer Cheese
This farmer cheese from Lifeway Kefir is an absolute dream! You’re going to want to put it on top of everything—trust me. It’s as if ricotta and cottage cheese got together to make an incredibly creamy and spreadable cheese baby. Terrifying metaphor, but true nonetheless! Moving along…
What I love about this farmer cheese is that’s got a bit of tang to it that pairs perfectly with the rosemary, thyme, and tomatoes! Plus, with Lifeway, you know you’re getting a quality product packed with probiotics and protein. Sounds like a win to me!
Plus, it’s gluten-free and up to 99% lactose-free! Check it out here (or below).
Materials You’ll Need:
- Rolling pin
- Various-sized mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Quarter sheet pan (obsessed with this one from USA PAN) or half baking sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush (or something to brush on egg wash)
Please share with and tag me over on Instagram (@joshisbaking) if you make this delicious cherry tomato galette, friends! So happy to team up with buddies over at Lifeway Kefir for this recipe. Be sure to check them out, grab some of their farmer cheese, and get to work.
Happy baking!
Print
Cherry Tomato and Herbed Farmer Cheese Galette
- Prep Time: 30 Min.
- Chill Time: 1 Hr. 30 Min.
- Cook Time: 45-50 Min.
- Total Time: ~3 Hours with Chill Time
- Yield: 1 Large Galette 1x
Description
This flaky cherry tomato galette is the perfect summer recipe! Cherry tomatoes nestled atop a creamy farmer cheese herbed with rosemary and thyme.
Ingredients
Galette Dough
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (200g)
- 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter (170g), cut into 1x1in. cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt (4g)
- 1 large egg yolk (15g)
- 2–3 tablespoons ice water
Cherry Tomato & Farmer Cheese Filling
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (1 cup orange, 1 cup yellow), halved
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 8 ounces Lifeway Kefir Farmer Cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon (heaping) rosemary, chopped into bits
- 1/2 teaspoon (heaping) thyme, chopped into bits
- 1 large egg for egg wash
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Additional rosemary sprigs & chopped thyme for topping
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Whisk your flour & salt together in a medium bowl. Add your cold, cubed butter and toss in the flour to coat. Then, squish each piece between two fingers to create flat little “shingles” of butter. You can crumble some of the butter more so you’re left with large flat pieces and pea-sized chunks as well.
- Whisk two tablespoons of ice water and your egg yolk together. Make a well in the center of your flour and pour in the egg mixture. Toss together with your hands and gently press/squeeze the dough together until it starts to come together (don’t knead or you’ll overwork it). If still a bit dry, add an additional tablespoon of ice water. You want it to be somewhat crumbly, but generally hold together.
- Tightly wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Once it’s chilled, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large square. Fold it in half one way, and then fold in half again (helps create layers). Roll it out into a square and do the folds again, adding more flour as needed. Wrap tightly in plastic again and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before using (up to 3 days in the fridge).
Making the Galette
- Prep a quarter or half sheet pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Cut your cherry tomatoes in half, place them in a strainer set over a bowl, and toss them with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt to help coax out any excess juices. Just set them off to the side to drain until needed.
- In a small bowl, mash together your farmer cheese with the chopped rosemary and thyme. Set aside. Also whisk your large egg for the egg wash in a small bowl and set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out your galette dough into a rough 9x13in. rectangle about a 1/4in. thick (a 10-12in. circle works too). Gently lay this into your quarter or half sheet pan with parchment. If your dough seems a little sticky after rolling out, place in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm back up before continuing.
- Spread your farmer cheese mixture into an even layer on top of the dough, leaving a good 2-3in. border around the outside. Place your cherry tomatoes, flat side down, on top of the farmer cheese (you can overlap the tomatoes as needed).
- Fold your outside border of dough overtop the tomatoes to form the crust. Just fold one side over, work clockwise, overlapping the corners as you go. Brush the crust generously with your egg wash, making sure to lift and get underneath the overlapping folds, pressing down to help seal them.
- Drizzle your olive oil over the tomatoes, sprinkle some chopped thyme over the crust, and place a few rosemary springs atop the tomatoes (you can tuck some under the crust at the edges too, see images above for how I did it).
- with the rack in the middle position, bake the galette at 400°F for 45-50 minutes or until desired browning. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before serving. Best enjoyed same day, but could keep for a couple days stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
Notes
- Make the dough ahead of time to save yourself some time and hassle! Just let it chill in the fridge overnight and assemble/bake the galette next-day. That way you’re not overwhelmed trying to do all in the same day, especially if you’re pressed on time.
- When you’re making the dough, the key to keeping it flaky is to not overwork it and to keep the butter cold throughout the entire process. If it ever starts to get sticky when you’re rolling it out, just pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up a bit.
- The bake time is really up to you! I like my pastries with a bit more brown and crunch to the crust, so I always tend to push mine a little further. You’ll want to bake it for at least 45 minutes, but after that it’s baker’s choice.
- You should really enjoy this cherry tomato galette the same day. You’ll get the flakiest crust, the juiciest tomatoes, and the softest cheese. You can certainly enjoy some of it the following day, but the best textures are found when enjoyed the same day as baking.
Hankering for another galette? Check out my Apple & Almond Cream Galette!
I made this over the weekend and loved everything about it! The crust was super flakey and delicate, almost like a croissant. The herbed packed cheese was creamy and delicious. And the tartness of the tomatoes really balanced everything out.
It was just my boyfriend, my dad and me and we finished the entire thing in under 10 minutes. I always ask them to rank everything I bake and this was the first solid 10/10 since I started baking a year ago (mind you, I’m slightly obsessive and bake almost every single day). I will definitely be making this recipe again and wouldn’t change a thing. With all of the pictures and videos, it was super easy to follow too. By far my favorite savory bake!!!
★★★★★
This made my day Brian!! Thank you! So happy things went smoothly and that everyone enjoyed it!
I made this for our Monday Crochet and Chat Brunch. I did cheat and used a pre-made pie crust, but followed the recipe as written. Oh, my gosh! This was amazingly delicious! The herded farmer cheese was the perfect base, and the tomatoes were so juicy. Thank you so much!
★★★★★
Yesssss! I love hearing all of this! No shame whatsoever on the pre-made crust—I do it all the time. Also that brunch sounds amazing–can I join?? haha