Turn summer produce into a show stopper with a ratatouille galette

In August, you’ll find farmers’ markets filled with bright, juicy tomatoes, fresh zucchini, and various vibrant nightshades, and somehow they all end up in your home. A ratatouille galette, with its flaky, buttery crust and layers of tender, roasted vegetables, is the perfect vessel for all these peak-season delights.

Because the joy of summer cooking lies in its simplicity, this galette is assembled from store-bought puff pastry, preferably pure butter. It’s one of the best ready-made shortcuts to making an elegant dish with less work.

Ratatouille is a rustic Provençal dish of simmered eggplant, tomatoes, and zucchini. However, in this dish, I’m leaning toward the version popularized by the 2007 Disney-Pixar film “Ratatouille,” where the main dish served is a confit byaldi, a more refined version of ratatouille in which the vegetables are thinly sliced ​​and carefully arranged. It has the same ingredients and flavors, but with more finesse.

That same finesse makes the final product of this galette so stunning. Spread over a thin layer of tangy Dijon mustard, herbed whipped goat cheese fills the base before thin, even slices of tomatoes, zucchini, squash, red onion, and eggplant are arranged on top. This ode to summer makes for a gorgeous presentation and a delicious bite any time of day. While it takes a little time, nothing is too complicated, and the impressive result is well worth the effort. (If you have a mandolin, it makes slicing vegetables much faster.)

When making this recipe, the most important step is to salt the vegetables before assembling the galette. This minimizes the risk of a runny final product. Make sure you have at least a few baking sheets on hand to salt the vegetables and bake the galette.

Another important thing to remember when preparing: When using frozen puff pastry, it is important to thaw the dough completely before rolling it out, so that it does not crack or tear. Move the puff pastry from the freezer to the refrigerator at least 4 hours before using it. From there, use the dough within 24 hours of thawing. When rolling out the puff pastry, be sure to dust the parchment paper, dough, and rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking.

To personalize it, I invite you to play with the varieties of tomatoes and squash in this galette. It’s an ideal backdrop for most summer products.

– – –

Ratatouille Galette

8 servings (for a 12 x 14 inch pancake)

Active time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Total time: 2 hours 35 minutes

A ratatouille galette, with its flaky, buttery crust and layers of tender roasted vegetables, is the perfect dish to showcase seasonal produce. Herbed, whipped goat cheese fills the base before thin slices of tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, and eggplant are layered on top. The time it takes to slice (use a mandolin to speed things up), salt, and arrange the vegetables is well worth the stunning results.

Store-bought puff pastry, preferably buttered, is a handy shortcut. When shopping, try to choose vegetables that are roughly the same diameter (2 to 3 inches) so your slices are similar in size.

Salting the vegetables before assembling the galette minimizes the risk of a runny final product, so don’t forget it.

Make ahead: Frozen puff pastry should be thawed in the refrigerator at least 4 hours before making the galette. Zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplant can be sliced, salted, and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead; onions and tomatoes are best sliced ​​the day you plan to bake them. (Eggplant may oxidize, but will look beautiful after baking.) Goat cheese mixture can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead; bring to room temperature before using.

Storage: Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Where to buy: Frozen puff pastry is easily found in supermarkets and specialty stores; for this recipe, we prefer a pure butter brand, such as Dufour.

INGREDIENTS

3 medium tomatoes, any variety (1 1/4 pounds total)

2 medium red onions (1 pound total)

1 eggplant (6 to 8 inches) (8 ounces)

1 yellow squash (6 to 8 inches) (8 ounces)

1 zucchini (6 to 8 inches) (8 ounces)

Fine salt

4 ounces fresh goat cheese, softened

2 ounces plain cream cheese, softened

1 clove garlic, finely grated or pressed

1/2 cup tender fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley or chives, coarsely chopped

all-purpose flour, for dusting

1 package (14 to 16 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed (see Where to Buy)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 large egg

1 tablespoon of water

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

NOT

Using a mandolin or very sharp knife, slice the tomatoes, onions, eggplant, yellow squash, and zucchini into very thin slices, about 1/8 inch thick. (Cut the tomatoes and onions parallel to the equator.)

Line several large baking sheets with paper towels; reserve one sheet for assembling the galette, below. Place the sliced ​​vegetables on top and sprinkle lightly with salt on both sides to draw out moisture. Cover with more towels to absorb any juices that are released. (To avoid using so many sheets, you can double the layers of sliced ​​vegetables if you use clean dish towels or a double layer of paper towels in between.) Let the vegetables sit for about 30 minutes to draw out as much moisture as possible.

While the vegetables are resting, place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 190 degrees. This is also the time to prepare the goat cheese filling and the puff pastry.

In a small food processor, pulse goat cheese, cream cheese, and garlic until mixture begins to come together, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scrape down bowl and pulse again until mixture is well combined and fluffy, another 30 seconds to 1 minute. (Alternatively, beat mixture in a large bowl with a flexible spatula.) Scrape mixture into a small bowl and stir in chopped herbs.

Place a large sheet of parchment paper on the work surface and dust with flour. Place the puff pastry on the parchment paper, dust lightly with flour, and roll out into a 12 x 14-inch rectangle. Slide the parchment paper with the dough onto an empty baking sheet.

Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, cut a border about 1 inch around the pastry, being careful not to cut all the way through. Gently prick the inside of the rectangle with the tines of a fork, evenly all over. This will prevent the area from rising while the pie is baking, and will give you a clean border.

Using a butter knife or small offset spatula, spread the mustard in a thin layer over the inside of the dough, being careful not to go over the edge. Then spread the goat cheese mixture over the mustard, being careful not to go over the edge.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water until well combined, then brush the edge of the pie.

Assemble the pie by arranging the vegetables in rows, stacking them like falling dominoes. Use any order you like, but we followed a pattern of tomato, yellow squash, zucchini, red onion, eggplant. We recommend alternating which side you start each row on, though. The number of rows and slices you use will vary depending on the size of the vegetables, but plan on 3 or 4 rows, using 15 to 20 slices of each type of vegetable in total. (See Notes for tips on using up extras.)

Once you are happy with your decoration, drizzle the vegetables with oil and sprinkle lightly but evenly with salt. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the vegetables are visibly shrunk and cooked through. If the edges of the crust start to get too dark, cover the crust with foil. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving, or let cool completely and serve at room temperature.

Substitutions: Suggested veggies >> your favorite varieties of onions, tomatoes, and summer squash. Instead of goat cheese blend >> Use 6 ounces Boursin. Can’t have dairy? >> Use unbuttered puff pastry and 6 ounces vegan cheese, such as dairy-free Boursin, or another spreadable cheese, such as Kite Hill.

Notes: If you have extra slices of eggplant, zucchini, squash, and onion, toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roast them on a sheet pan while or after cooking the galette. Use any extra tomatoes in salads (especially caprese) or sandwiches.

Nutritional information per serving (one 3 1/2 x 6-inch piece): 407 calories, 36 g carbohydrate, 37 mg cholesterol, 25 g fat, 5 g fiber, 10 g protein, 9 g saturated fat, 552 mg sodium, 8 g sugar

This analysis is an estimate based on the available ingredients and this preparation. It should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a dietitian or nutritionist.

From food writer Becca Jacobs.