Recipe by Mackenzie Smith

Fresh tomatoes, the last of a pot of Louisiana-style red beans and a cheddar sharp enough to stand up next to the tang and the spice were the inspiration for this savory summer pie. I prefer the crunch and the defined flavor of whole spices in the beans, but ground spices work just as well here. Salting and draining the tomatoes keeps the crust from getting soggy as it cooks, so don’t skip that step! Emily HIlliard of Nothing in the House is a folklorist and pie-maker in West Virginia, and her pie crust recipe is my go-to. It’s easy to work with and always flaky -- ideal for making a galette.

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Make sure you salt and drain your tomatoes before placing them on your pastry-- the excess liquid will make for soggy crust.

• 1½ cup kidney or pinto beans, drained
• ½ teaspoon coriander
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ¾ teaspoon mustard seed
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3 medium tomatoes (preferably different colors--a variety of red and green is great here) sliced ¼ inch thick, perpendicular to the core
• Butter

Adapted from Nothing in the House

Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (or 1 c. all-purpose + 1 c. whole-wheat pastry flour*)
• 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 1/2 sticks COLD unsalted butter (12 tablespoons), cut into slices
• 1/2 beaten large egg, cold (save the other half to brush on top of the crust)
• 1/4 cup ice-cold water
• 1/2 tablespoon cold apple cider vinegar (I keep mine in the fridge)

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and pepper. Using a pastry cutter or fork and knife, cut in the butter. You want to make sure butter chunks remain, as that's what makes the crust flaky.

2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the COLD liquid ingredients (Using cold liquids ensures that your butter will not melt--another crucial detail for a flaky crust!).

3. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour-butter mixture and combine using a wooden spoon. Mix until dough comes together, but is not overly mixed (it should be a little shaggy). Form into a ball, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and let chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before rolling out.

*If you use whole wheat pastry flour, you may need to add additional liquid.

Lay sliced tomatoes on a cooling rack placed over a sheet pan or in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with salt.

While the tomatoes drain, heat olive oil or butter in a small skillet and add the spices. Cook until you can smell the spices start to toast. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the beans. Using a potato masher or the back of your fork or spoon, mash the beans against the side of the pan as they cook. Cook on medium heat until the moisture is cooked out of the beans. Remove beans from the heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400F

Once your dough has chilled, split it in two and roll one into a flat, thin circle. Spread half of the bean mixture onto the middle part of the dough, then top with cheddar cheese. Arrange sliced and drained tomatoes on top of the cheese, alternating colors and size to keep it jazzy.

Fold the edge of the dough over the filling, letting the filling show as indicated in the picture. Brush the crust with egg wash and place a few pats of butter on your tomatoes. Repeat for the second disc of dough.

Bake at 400 for about 30 or 40 minutes, or until your crust is golden brown.

Before I made these pastries, which were a super hit at the tomato party, I read Bon Appetit’s article on common mistakes when making a galette, and an article from food52 on how to make savory galettes so I could see how to roll them out. Both articles are worth a read if you want to get better at making galettes.

Photo by Rick Cortez.