Eating Seasonally - Tomato pastry galette
Join us on another seasonal adventure as we aim to transport you to the Mediterranean with our delicious take on a savoury galette, all using ingredients widely grown and available in the UK. While the UK tomato season runs from June to October, the aptly named Gardeners Delight variety (commonly known as cherry tomatoes) are usually first to show – and when you see these little reds coming out to play, you can say for certain that summer has arrived at last! We’ll be popping them in an aromatic marinade, before pairing with our homemade vegan cream cheese to top our galette.
Another seasonal heavyweight we’ll be showcasing today is the broad bean, as we walk you through our creamy broad bean and chive dip. Not only are broad beans a tasty addition to any summer dish, they’re also an incredible source of protein, and easy on the purse strings, too! For this recipe, you’ll need to remove them from their shells and ensure they are thoroughly cooked before making your dip, as broad beans are hardier than the average bean.
We’ll then bring everything together with a quick seasonal salad, proudly picked from our little kitchen garden, making use of last month’s pickled radish, as well as lettuce leaves and nasturtium. If you’re not familiar with nasturtium, this edible flower is easy to cultivate both indoors and outdoors, for gardeners and windowsill growers alike – so why not give it a go? If you’d prefer a storebought option, rocket is great substitute. So, let’s get into it – June’s seasonal eat: Cherry Tomato and Vegan Cream Cheese Galette.
Tomato pastry galette
Serves 6
Vegan
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 40 mins
Total:1 hour 40 mins, plus 20 mins cooling time
Ingredients
Pastry (shop bought short crust will also see you right)
187g Plain flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
170 g cold unsalted butter – cut into ½ inch cubes
56g of cold water
Vegan Cream Cheese
90g raw cashews, soaked in cold water overnight
265g silken tofu
Juice of half a small lemon
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp white miso paste
1 tsp salt
Broad Bean and Chive Dip
250g shelled broad beans – can also use frozen broad beans
1 small garlic clove
1½ tbsp lemon juice (or to taste)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Fresh chives
Salt and black pepper to taste
Marinated Cherry Tomatoes
500g cherry tomatoes - halved
3 tbsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch black pepper to taste
1 tsp oregano
For Assembling and baking
4 tbsp soy milk
Seasonal Salad
200g lettuce
200g nasturtium leaves and flowers or rocket leaves
50g pickled radish – check out our quick pickle recipe for details
Dressing
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
Reserved tomato juice from recipe
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
The Pastry: (if you are using shop bought pastry, skip this step)
By Hand:
1. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt and sugar and mix until combined. Next, add the butter and rub-in with your hands until the mixture turns to a crumble-like consistency.
2. Gradually add small amounts of water to your mix and continue combining by hand until a shaggy ball is formed. You may not need to use all your water as you don’t want your pastry to be too wet.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times, until it comes together into a smooth ball. Pat the dough into a disk and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rest in the fridge for a least 20 minutes.
Food Processor:
1. Using the blade attachment, combine the flour, salt and sugar. Pulse briefly to combine.
2. Add the butter and process until the butter forms a crumble-like consistency. This should take about 5 seconds.
3. Gradually add small amounts of water to your mix, pulsing each time, until a shaggy texture is formed. You may not need all your water as you don’t want your pastry to be too wet.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times, until it comes together into a smooth ball. Pat the dough into a disk and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rest in the fridge for a least 20 minutes.
Vegan cream cheese
1. Combine the cream cheese ingredients in a blender, and blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth.
2. Pour the mixture into two separate airtight containers and smooth out before sealing. Place one container to the side ready to use and refrigerate the other. The cream cheese will firm up overnight and can be stored for up to three days. It is also suitable for freezing.
Broad bean and chive dip
1. Add water and a pinch of salt to a medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Add your shelled (or frozen) broad beans to the boiling water and simmer for 3-5 minutes, ensuring the beans are soft through.
2. Meanwhile, prepare a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes. When the broad beans have cooked through, drain and place in the iced water. This helps retain colour and extend shelf-life.
3. Next, combine the beans, garlic, lemon juice, chives, and salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth. If you find the mixture to be too thick, you can sparingly add some cold water while blending to help loosen it up.
4. When you are happy with the dip’s consistency, place in a container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. The dip can be stored for up to three days and is also suitable for freezing.
Marinated Cherry Tomatoes
1. Add your halved cherry tomatoes to a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, mix, and set aside for 10 minutes. This will help to draw moisture from the tomatoes.
2. After allowing the tomatoes to sit, drain the excess water into a container to use for the salad dressing.
3. Add the olive oil, oregano and black pepper to the tomatoes. Combine and set to one side.
Assembling and Baking
1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees, or gas mark 4.
2. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a chopping board and put your refrigerated dough in the centre. Place a second sheet on top and roll the dough into a 14-inch circle. The dough should be about 1/8-inch thick.
3. Remove the top later of parchment and transfer the bottom parchment sheet and pastry to a large baking tray. It’s okay if some of the pastry curves up.
4. Spread the vegan cream cheese over the pastry, ensuring it stays to within 3 inches of the edge.
5. Place the marinated tomatoes on top of the cream cheese, with their centres facing up.
6. Fold the edges of the dough over the filling, working your way around and creating pleats as you go. Patch up any tears by pinching a bit of dough from the edge – it doesn’t have to look perfect!
7. Brush the edges with soy milk. This helps add shine and colour to the pastry while it bakes.
8. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Once baked, transfer your galette to a cooling rack, with the parchment paper still attached. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes.
Seasonal Salad and Dressing
1. Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well, until thoroughly combined. If you don’t have a jar, you can whisk the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Bring the salad ingredients together in a large bowl and mix. Add around half of the dressing (or to your tastes) and mix well, ensuring the leaves are dressed.
Bring it all together – slice, serve, dip and enjoy!
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