A rough crust, cold butter, and very little fuss—that is all this galette will ever ask of you. Rather than struggling with the rigid architecture of a fluted tart tin, we fold the pastry loosely over sweet, late-season tomatoes to let the oven do the heavy lifting.
Keeping the Butter Cold and Uneven
The secret to an intensely flaky edge lies in leaving visible pebble-sized shards of butter intact before adding ice water. When heat hits those pockets of fat, the steam forces the dough apart into brittle, delicate sheets that shatter softly under a knife.
Managing Moisture in Heirloom Slices
Juicy heirloom tomatoes require a gentle purge before they meet the raw dough. Slice them thick, season them with flaky sea salt on a clean linen towel, and let them weep for twenty minutes so your bottom crust bakes crisp rather than soggy.
Finishing at High Heat
Slide the baking sheet onto the bottom rack of a preheated four-hundred-degree oven until the edges achieve a deep golden crust. Allow the galette to cool on unlacquered wood until warm to the touch before carving into jagged, generous wedges.