Recipe: $9.80 | Per Serving: $1.63 | Yield: 6
If you’re looking for an all-star, show-stopping zucchini recipe, let me introduce you to the summer zucchini galette. We’ve got thinly sliced zucchini, flavorful macadamia-cauliflower ricotta (or regular), fresh summer tomatoes, and a super easy rustic pastry crust. You’re gonna love it!
Gluten-free pastry is a tough nut to crack. I’ve been working on various versions for years and even if I get it right, I’ll pass it along to a friend or recipe tester and they can’t make it work.
And, the ones I make with a great texture tend to use more of the starch-based flours rather than more whole food options, which is fine, but just not what I’m usually looking for.
So, the next obvious solution is to make a pastry dough that’s not meant to have perfectly laminated layers. One that has its own craggly, rustic appeal.
So it’s time for a galette! A paleo gluten free galette! A Zucchini and Tomato Summer Galette! It may have taken several tweaks for me to get it right, but now I’m sure you’ll have no trouble at all.
First up: fresh summer tomatoes and zucchini. Salted just a bit and paired with a basil-spiked ricotta “cheese” that speaks for itself. Then lovingly wrapped in a buttery crust. Perfection!
I recommend choosing small to medium zucchinis, especially for things like zucchini bread or in this galette. The larger zucchinis are really watery and can cause soggy results. They taste both bland and bitter? Bigger is not better here. ☺️
What is a Galette?
A galette is a free form pie that originated in France. It is baked directly on a sheet pan rather than in a pie pan, and has a more rustic and less polished look.
In my opinion, a galette is essentially a type of pie. Pie is usually made in a tin and has a top covering. A tart is pretty similar and is made in a tin, but usually does not have a top covering. A galette is a free form version that is made without a tin and has sort of a half covering, which helps keep all the goodies inside.
Tips for making this recipe:
- Salt your vegetables ahead of time. There’s no need to blot the moisture off though. Salting helps to remove some moisture, of course, but it also helps to break down the vegetables a bit, so you don’t have to cook it as long.
- Use a food processor. This isn’t required, but it does make the process easier.
- Choose a ricotta you prefer! I tried this with some store-bought dairy-free ricotta brands and I didn’t like the taste at all. I opted for my macadamia-cauliflower ricotta, but if you have a brand you like, or you wanna rock normal cow’s milk ricotta, go for it!
- To make this recipe cheaper: consider making something like a cashew cheese instead of macadamia ricotta. Cashews are much cheaper. Cow’s milk ricotta is also cheaper. And cottage cheese is pretty cheap (and protein-rich) as well.
I had such a fun time testing and tweaking this recipe over the course of 1-2 weeks, and I hope you get a chance to try it!
And, here are my other Zucchini Recipes from Zucchini Week 2021! Thanks for joining me!
- Zucchini, Chorizo, and Black Bean Breakfast Skillet
- Low Sugar Zucchini Bread (gluten free, paleo)
- Savory Summer Zucchini Galette (gluten free, paleo) —> this one!
Paleo: Yep! As long as you use a DF butter like Miyokos.
Vegetarian: Yep! 100% vegan.
Low FODMAP: Mostly, yes! The starches in the dough contain FODMAPs, but in such a small serving, it should be well tolerated.
PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!
Zucchini and Tomato Summer Galette (gluten free)
Description
This summer zucchini galette showcases thinly sliced zucchini, flavorful macadamia ricotta (or regular), fresh summer tomatoes, and a super easy and flavorful rustic pastry crust. You’ve gonna love it!
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 1.5 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup arrowroot flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons cold butter (Miyokos keeps it dairy-free), cut into 12 cubes
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 egg, whisked, with 2 teaspoons reserved for brushing on top
For the Galette:
- 1/2 cup macadamia-cauliflower ricotta (or other ricotta)
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil (+ more for topping)
- 1 large heirloom tomato
- 1 medium zucchini
- fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
For the Pastry:
- Add dry ingredients (almond flour, arrowroot, salt) to a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cold butter, honey, and egg (less 2 teaspoons reserved for egg wash). Pulse until a dough forms. Small chunks of butter remaining are perfectly fine!
- Alternatively you can combine ingredients in a bowl and use a pastry cutter or knife to mix in the butter.
- Let chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice the zucchini and tomatoes into slices about 1/4 inch or thinner. Spread out and salt. This will help reduce some of the moisture and also softens the vegetables so you don’t have to cook it as long.
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Place parchment paper on flat surface. Roll the dough into a circle until about 1/4th inch thick. It should make a 10-12 inch circle/oval. Transfer parchment paper to a sheet pan / baking sheet.
- Spread the ricotta mixture in a circle in the middle of the dough, leaving about a 2-inch margin around the outside.
- Layer the zucchini and tomato slices in concentric spiraling formation (see images above).
- Starting with the side closest to you, lift the parchment paper to fold the dough over the vegetables (see images above). Continue around the circle to gently fold the dough over the outer 1-2 inches of the vegetables, forming pleats. If anything tears or if vegetables poke through, just press the dough back together. You can also pull extra dough from the center to patch things up. Remember: galettes are meant to be rustic!
- Use a pastry brush to for the egg wash, which means you brush the remaining whisked egg over the top of the pastry. (But not over the vegetables.) Without a pastry brush, you may be able to use a spoon or your fingers.
- Bake the galette on 375ºF for 30-35 minutes or until top is golden brown and bottom is cooked through and NOT soggy.
- Top with fresh cracked paper and sliced fresh basil.