The tradition of “Tartes Salées” in France

Savory tarts like this one – or what we call in French “Tartes Salées” (including quiches, puff-pastry tarts and savory galettes) – are everyday fare in France. They are very often enjoyed as a simple lunch alongside a salad or served as an easy dinner for family or friends. 

Whether a quiche, a tart or a galette, making a “Tarte Salée” is often meant to make do what’s in season or to use up any produce and/or fixings that may be lingering in your fridge: vegetables, cheeses, meats, etc… They aren’t really special occasion fare, but rather a quick and easy meal option. They are ideal for when you’re short on time during the week, or perhaps when feeling a bit uninspired. 

I love how Tartes Salées invite creativity and always tempt you to try different filling combinations throughout the season – as with tomato and corn for late Summer. Tartes Salées are also just as delicious enjoyed warm or cold, which make them a popular leftover food in France.  

The tomatoes 

The Savory Tomato, Corn and Gruyère Galette is great to use up seasonal tomatoes which are abundant in late Summer. Make sure you choose ripe, red tomatoes – but not too ripe, or they will turn mushy/watery when baking. Any variety of large or medium red tomatoes works for this recipe: Heirloom, Roma, Plum or Beefsteak. You can opt for just one variety, or a mix if you want. 

The corn

For this recipe, you can use corn kernels cooked with any method of your choosing: grilled, roasted, boiled or even from a can – as a convenient option. If you opt for canned corn kernels,  make sure you drain them well and pat them dry with paper towel. 

Gruyère cheese

For the cheese, I strongly recommend you use Gruyère, a yellow hard Swiss Cheese. Gruyère cheese is extremely popular in French cooking. It is widely used by homecooks to garnish savory pies, quiches, gratins, pasta, etc. In French grocery stores, it can be found often pre-grated and packaged in little pouches stapled as “fromage râpé (pronounced rap-ay)” 

In US/Canada, Gruyère is a bit pricey but well worth it if you are planning on making a French recipe such as this galette. Gruyère Cheese has a delicious nutty taste that pairs great with the sweetness of the tomatoes and corn. As a substitute, if you can’t find Gruyère cheese, you can choose a hard mild-tasting cheese, such a Comté or an aged white Cheddar (more affordable option). Parmesan is too salty in taste for my liking in this recipe.

How to store this Galette? 

After enjoying the Galette, if you have any leftover slices, you can store them in the refrigerator or in the freezer.

• In the refrigerator: store any leftover slices in an airtight container or well-wrapped in the fridge for up to 2 days – not more. Enjoy the slices cold or reheated for 4-5 minutes in a pan over medium heat. Avoid reheating the slices in the microwave or the crust will likely get soggy. 
• In the freezer: store it in a (freezer-friendly) airtight container and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, let the slices thaw in the fridge before re-heating them through in a pan over medium heat. 

Cooking notes: 

• The crust recipe is based off of my classic Pâte Brisée, which you can find in most of my quiche recipes and sweet galette recipes. As a little twist for this Savory Tomato, Corn and Gruyère Galette, I replaced a portion of the butter with mayonnaise. The addition of mayonnaise makes for an extra flaky crust. I also added some grated Gruyère in the mix for salty notes. 
• It is essential to use cold butter and ice cold water to make the dough. Cold butter – not room temperature – will distribute into the flour without softening. And ice-cold water will bind the ingredients together without melting the butter. This ensure little bits of butter are still present in the dough once rolled out. These little bits of butter make for a most tender and flaky crust.  
• The dough crust needs to chilled at least 1 hour before being rolled out. If the dough is too cold and firm when trying to roll it out, let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes. It will warm slightly, to become easier to roll out.
• If the edges of the dough crack a bit when you fold them over the tomatoes, don’t fret. You can simply wet your fingers under lukewarm water and “rub” the cracks to bind the dough back together. 
• When placing the tomato slices in the middle of the crust, make sure you leave a 2-inch (5cm) border all around. This way you will be able to easily fold the edges over the filling later.

I hope you’ll love this Savory Tomato, Corn and Gruyère Galette as much as I do! This tart can be enjoyed either warm or cold. It is a great starter, quick lunch or light dinner, enjoyed with a salad on the side. 

If you have any question, feel free to leave a comment! 

More recipes to enjoy Tomato Season: 

• Fresh Tomato Velouté Soup
• Layered Vegetable Tian from Provence
• Eggplant Tomato Gratin from Provence
• Tarte a la Tomate (Classic French Tomato Mustard Tart)
• Tomates Farcies (Baked Ground Meat-Stuffed Tomatoes) 
• Provence-Style Tomatoes with Breadcrumbs and Herbs (Tomates à la Provençale)

Savory Tomato, Corn and Gruyère Galette

Print Recipe

Serves: 6-8 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.8/5

( 4 voted )

Ingredients

Crust:
1 ½ cup (188g) all-purpose flour
A pinch of salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp (12g) Gruyère cheese, grated
1/2 cup (1 stick/125g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp (30ml) ice cold water

Filling:
3 large tomatoes, ripe, cut in 1/3 (0.85cm) inch slices
1/3 cup (55g) corn kernels (cooked: grilled, roasted, boiled or from a can)
2 tbsp (12g) Gruyère cheese, grated
Freshly ground black pepper & Salt, to taste
1 egg yolk
Optional: fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

Step 1 – Prepare the crust. Mix the flour, salt, black pepper and grated Gruyère together. Add the cubed butter and mix with your fingers or pulse in a food processor, until you get a crumbly consistency and pea-size bits of butter are still visible. Add the mayonnaise and mix until just incorporated. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough just comes together into a rough ball; do not over-mix or your crust will end up tough. Add a few more splashes of water if you feel the dough is too crumbly - but try to keep the water to a minimum. Too much water will also make your crust tough. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. 

Pre-heat your oven to 400ºF (205ºC) with a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2 – 1 hour later, take the dough out of the fridge. Transfer it onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to circle of 16-inches (40cm) in diameter (about 1/6 inch thick). Drape the dough over your rolling pin and transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Optional: if needed, use a knife or scissors to trim your dough into a proper circle. 

Step 3 – Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of grated Gruyère cheese onto the dough, leaving a 2 inch (5cm) border around the edge. Lay the tomato slices ontop, overlapping and in a circular pattern, still leaving a 2 inch (5cm) border around the edges. Sprinkle with the corn, remaining 1 tablespoon of grated Gruyère, black pepper and salt to taste. Fold the edges of the dough up over the filling to create a 1 ½ (3.8cm) inch border. Whisk egg yolk in a small bowl and brush this egg wash onto the folded border.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the edges look dry and golden. Let the Galette cool for 30 minutes before transferring it onto a cooling rack. Enjoy warm or chilled. Garnish with fresh basil leaves just before serving. 

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