Summer Squash and Tomato Galette

This colorful galette is one of those cooking projects I'm quite proud of yet can't fully take credit for. The pie crust was created by merging many recipes kindly contributed by the fabulous folks of the SillyYak list with crust recipe from Rebecca Reilly's book Gluten-Free Baking. The idea and the filling came from this recipe. Much gratitude to the many individuals who helped in the creation of my first galette! It turned out beautifully, with a buttery crust that held together remarkably well and a simple, tasty filling. The individual slices looked beautiful. This would be a perfect dish to impress your guests with at a brunch or dinner party. If you aren't gluten-free, or are lucky enough to have access to pre-made gluten-free pie crusts, this is actually a very simple recipe - Simply flatten out a pre-made refrigerated pie crust and go to town!


SUMMER SQUASH AND TOMATO GALETTE

Galette Crust
1 cup white rice flour
1/2 sorghum flour
1/2 cup potato starch
3 Tbsp tapioca flour
1 tsp sugar or other sweetener (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
8 Tbsp (1 stick) cold butter
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup ice-cold water

Filling
2 yellow summer squash
2 medium zucchini
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fresh gluten-free Italian breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
4 plum tomatoes
1 egg white, beaten

To make the crust:
Sift dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut the butter into small chunks (about 1/2" thick) and add to dry ingredients. Work it into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or your finger tips, mashing until the butter has crumbled into pea-size pieces.

Make a well in the dry ingredients. Pour the egg and apple cider vinegar into the well, and use a fork to stir gently, outwards from the center. Once all the ingredients are incorporated, drizzle the ice-cold water into the mixture very slowly, just a little at a time. Only add water until the mixture has become a cohesive ball of dough that's just moist enough to handle without being wet.

Place ball between two large pieces of parchment paper. Using hands or rolling pin, gently push the dough outward, equally in all directions, until it is a pie-sized thick, even disc of dough. Leave between parchment paper layers and seal well in plastic wrap or ziploc bag. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Leaving the dough in between two parchment paper layers, roll it out gently, as thin as you can When the dough is between 1/4" and 1/3" thick, remove the top layer of parchment and even out the edges of the crust. Place the top of a cookie sheet over the crust so that it is centered, place a hand underneath the bottom piece of parchment, and slowly flip so that the crust is lying in the center of the cookie sheet. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. If any holes have already formed at this point, mend them with a finger or pastry brush dampened in excess egg white or water.

To make the filling:
Wash the summer squash and zucchini, remove ends, and cut lengthwise in 1/4" slices. Wash tomatoes and cut in 1/4" rounds.

Heat a grill or lightly greased grill pan. In a large bowl, combine oil and salt. Toss with squash and zucchini slices. Grill the vegetables on each side, about 10 minutes or until they are tender. Allow to cool.

In a separate bowl, combine cheese, bread crumbs and basil.

To Assemble the Galette:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the breadcrumb and cheese mixture evenly in a 8" circle in middle of piecrust. Place half of the grilled vegetable slices in the shape of spokes radiating out from the center of the crust, covering cheese and breadcrumb mixture. Over this layer of squash place tomato slices, slightly overlapping one another. Arrange the remaining squash slices over the tomatoes, then fold the outer edge of the pie crust over the vegetables. The pie crust should contain but not completely cover the vegetables. Mend any holes carefully with excess dough or a moistened finger. Brush the visible parts of the crust with beaten egg white. Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Slice with a very sharp serrated knife, such as a bread knife.