Cheddary, Mustardy, Tomatoey—and a Quick Dinner to Boot

Few ingredients, if any, aren't transformed and improved upon by pie crust. Take sweet ingredients (stone fruit, yogurt, apple cider), pantry staples (coconut, oatmeal, tahini), or savory foods (Swiss chard, chicken, mushrooms): Wrap them up in a buttery, flaky pie crust and every single one becomes immensely more delicious.

The fantastic thing about pie crust—especially when making galettes—is that it doesn't need to be neat and tidy. Instead of fussing about crimping fancy edges and measuring your pie crust to fit a pie plate, take an easier route: Mix up a batch of dough (try this one, this one, or this one if you don't have a favorite yet), roll it thinly, and fold it up around your ingredients of choice to create a simple and humble galette.

In the summer, I like to stop at the farm stands on my way home. I pick out what looks most appealing, which these days is tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes, and then fold them up snugly in a buttery pastry crust. Add a simple salad and there you have it: dinner!

Although this technique can be as basic as a single ingredient inside a galette crust, adding a few more flavors can elevate your meal without much effort. Today's recipe (which I discovered via Cabot cheese) is a perfect example. Start by rolling out a basic pie dough into a large circle. Add a thin layer of grainy mustard, then a few handfuls of sharp cheddar cheese, then slices of ripe summer tomatoes before folding up the edges of the crust and baking. I like to sprinkle some fresh or dried herbs (thyme, oregano, and rosemary are nice) and flaky sea salt over the top, too.

When tomatoes are at their peak, this is an excellent summer dinner recipe to have in your back pocket (and a good reason to keep pie dough in your freezer). Now, go pour yourself a glass of rosé and have at it while summer lingers!

Tomato Cheddar Galette

View Recipe

Ingredients

For the crust

1 1/2	cups all-purpose flour
1/2	teaspoon salt
1/4	cup cheddar cheese powder (optional)
1/2	cup cold unsalted butter (1 stick)
5	tablespoons ice cold water

1 1/2	cups all-purpose flour
1/2	teaspoon salt
1/4	cup cheddar cheese powder (optional)

1/2	cup cold unsalted butter (1 stick)
5	tablespoons ice cold water

For the filling

2	tablespoons grainy mustard
1	cup grated cheddar cheese (or other flavorful melting cheese, like Gruyere)
4	medium tomatoes, sliced thinly
1 1/2	tablespoons olive oil
pinch	flaky sea salt
1	tablespoon chopped fresh or dried thyme

2	tablespoons grainy mustard
1	cup grated cheddar cheese (or other flavorful melting cheese, like Gruyere)
4	medium tomatoes, sliced thinly

1 1/2	tablespoons olive oil
pinch	flaky sea salt
1	tablespoon chopped fresh or dried thyme

Posie Harwood is a writer, photographer, and food stylist based in New York. You can read more of her writing here.

Pie for dinner! Pie for dinner! What else makes a killer savory tart in the summertime? Give us some ideas in the comments.