Bake

Roasted Tomato & Gooey Cheese Free-Form Pie

October  6, 2021
4.8
4 Ratings
Photo by Mark Weinberg
  • Prep time 20 minutes
  • Cook time 1 hour
  • makes 1 (13x13-inch/33x33-centimeter) pie
Author Notes

I first made this pie at a small dinner party for a close friend and her family when my family was in town visiting. My away-from-home family was combined with my family from home, making it one of the most lovely nights I’ve ever had the pleasure of hosting. It was late summer, so I used up lots of cherry tomatoes and covered them with a soft cheese. The cheese truly melts into the tomatoes, melding into one incredible flavor. We crunched away at flaky slices under twinkly lights with a huge bowl of kale salad. This pie earned a special place in my heart, memory, and dinner party rotation. Adapted from The Book on Pie.

Note: You can find the recipe for Rough Puff Pastry here. —Erin Jeanne McDowell

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Roasted Tomato & Gooey Cheese Free-Form Pie
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds (907 grams) cherry tomatoes
  • 6 large garlic cloves (30 grams), unpeeled, smashed with the side of a knife
  • 3 tablespoons (45 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon (3 grams) chopped fresh rosemary, plus sprigs for serving
  • 1 tablespoon (3 grams) chopped fresh thyme, plus sprigs for serving
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • All-purpose flour, for rolling
  • 1 recipe Rough Puff Pastry (see Author Notes)
  • 1/2 cup (50 grams) finely grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling
  • 12 ounces (340 grams) chilled Brie, Camembert, or other soft-rind creamy cheese, cut into 1-inch/2.5-centimeter slices
  • Egg wash (1 large egg plus 1 tablespoon water), for brushing
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F/205°C. On a baking sheet, spread the tomatoes and garlic in an even layer. Drizzle with the oil and toss well to combine. Sprinkle with the chopped rosemary and thyme; season with salt and pepper.
  2. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are blistered and appear collapsed. Let cool completely. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F/220°C.
  3. While the tomatoes cool, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to ¼ inch/3 millimeters thick, a little larger than a 15x15-inch/ 38x38-centimeter square. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet (don’t worry if it hangs over the edge of the pan; you’ll be folding the edges over).
  4. Into a small bowl, squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skin. Add ½ cup of the Parmesan and mash with a fork. Spread the garlic mixture onto the puff pastry, concentrating toward the center and leaving at least 2 inches/5 centimeters around the border.
  5. Arrange the tomatoes in an even layer in the center of the dough, leaving the edges uncovered. Layer the Brie over the tomatoes. Fold the edges of the dough up over the tomatoes, encasing the edges of the filling.
  6. Brush the egg wash over the exposed puff pastry and sprinkle a little more Parmesan on top.
  7. Bake the galette for 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and very crisp. (A good indicator of doneness in free-form pies is to gently shake the baking sheet. An underbaked galette won’t move; one that’s fully baked will slide back and forth on the baking sheet.) Garnish with the rosemary and thyme sprigs. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Jeff
    Jeff
  • CRSAUTNER
    CRSAUTNER
I always have three kinds of hot sauce in my purse. I have a soft spot for making people their favorite dessert, especially if it's wrapped in a pastry crust. My newest cookbook, Savory Baking, came out in Fall of 2022 - is full of recipes to translate a love of baking into recipes for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between!

2 Reviews

Jeff August 18, 2023
My partner and I watched Erin's video earlier this week and thought this tart looked fantastic so I made the pastry 2 nites ago and put it all together last nite. I've had great luck with the rough puff recipe in Erin's "Book on Pie" and from watching/rewatching her step by step tutorial videos, so I knew it was doable. With a farro/butternut squash salad with lemon vinaigrette on the side it was absolute perfection. Every guest cleaned their plate and I had just enough left for breakfast this morning.
 
CRSAUTNER August 27, 2022
Made this today!! It is totally baller, dude. I wasn't sure, cuz I dont really like cherry tomatoes, but god DAMN does that roasting make them tasty, especially with the salty parm and rich brie. The crunch of the crust is such a great contrast. I could only eat one slice so far (its so rich and satisfying), and I can see myself eating it tomorrow as breakfast. Supremely good, dude!!