John and Prue’s Slow-roasted tomato and goat’s curd galette Cooking

John and Prue’s Slow-roasted tomato and goat’s curd galette

John and Prue’s Slow-roasted tomato and goat’s curd galette

Prep Time – 25 minutes + 1 hour chilling time

Cook Time –  2 hours and 35 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 400g cherry tomatoes or baby plum tomatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 4 sprigs of oregano, leaves picked
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 250g goat’s curd, or very soft goat’s cheese
  • Salt and black pepper to season

For the pastry

  • 140g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • A pinch of salt
  • 90-100ml iced water

Method:

  1. Heat the oven to 160˚C/fan 140˚C/gas mark 3. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
  2. Cut the tomatoes in half and toss them in a bowl with the chopped garlic, oregano leaves and olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper. Spread them out on the lined baking tray and arrange them all so they are cut side up.
  3. Bake in the middle of the oven for 2 hours, by which point they should be softened and slightly shrunken. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  4. Meanwhile, make the pastry. Put the butter, flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and rub the butter into the flour lightly using your fingertips. Stop when there are still pea-sized pieces of butter visible. Add the water and use a butter knife to mix it to a very shaggy dough – do not knead it at all. Simply push it together into a disc and wrap it in cling film. Put it in the fridge to chill for 1 hour, or until firm.
  5. Increase the oven temperature to 210˚C/fan 190˚C/gas mark 6-7. Line another baking sheet with baking parchment and preheat the tray to avoid a soggy bottom.
  6. Unwrap the pastry and roll it out on a floured surface into a round, about 2-3mm thick. Use a fork to prick the base of the pastry. Spread the goat’s curd evenly over the pastry, leaving a border of 5cm (2in) all around it. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, on the goat’s curd, packed in tightly next to each other, so the goat’s curd is all covered. Lift up the pastry around the edges and fold it over the top, to create a crust round the edge that will hold the tomatoes in place.
  7. Season with salt and black pepper, then bake the galette in the middle of the oven for 35-40 minutes, covering it with foil after 20 minutes to prevent it over-browning. Serve while crisp and warm.