Vegan Tomato Galette

Start by making the pastry. Add the flour and salt to a large bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and use a fork to work it into the flour for 2-3 minutes - until the pieces of butter are roughly the size of peas. 

Pour 100ml cold water into the flour and use the fork to toss the flour mixture together, incorporating the water as you go. Add another 20ml water and continue to toss the flour mixture together until a dough just starts coming together. 

Transfer the dough onto a piece of cling film or parchment paper and use your hands to form it into a disc before tightly wrapping it. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 45 minutes. The dough can also be made ahead of time and sit in the fridge overnight. 

Preheat the oven to 200˚C fan/220˚C conventional. 

While the dough rests, prepare the filling. Use a sharp knife to chop the tomatoes into slices that are around ½ cm thick - you want them to be thick enough that they hold their shape, but not so thick that they don’t cook through. 

Place the sliced tomatoes in a large colander set over the sink, and sprinkle them with 1 tsp salt. Rub them gently with your hands to spread the salt, then let them sit for 30 minutes. 

In the meantime, cook the shallots. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and sprinkle them with ½ tsp salt. 

Sauté the shallots for 5-6 minutes on medium heat, until they start to soften. Lower the heat to medium low, add the minced garlic and continue to cook the shallots for 25-30 minutes until they’re golden brown and caramelised - adding a splash of water if they start sticking to the bottom of the pan. Taste the shallots for seasoning and adjust to taste. 

By now, the tomatoes should be ready. Give the colander a shake to remove any excess liquid held between the tomatoes. Place a few sheets of kitchen roll or a clean kitchen towel nearby, and transfer the slices of tomato onto it in one single layer. Thoroughly pat the tomatoes dry. 

Time to assemble the galette. Place a sheet of parchment paper onto a clear surface. Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap it onto the parchment paper. 

Lightly flour a rolling pin and use it to roll the dough out into a circle that’s roughly 30cm wide and 0.3cm thick. Lift the sheet of parchment paper with the dough onto a large baking tray. 

Use a knife or offset spatula to spread the dijon mustard throughout the centre of the circle, leaving around 5cm of space free around the edges, as that's the part we will fold over the filling later on. 

Spread the caramelised shallots evenly over the dijon mustard, followed by the grated cheese - leaving the same 5cm border free. Next, layer the tomatoes over the shallots and cheese in no more than two layers. 

Use your hands or a pastry cutter to lift the edges of the dough up and over the filling, gently sealing the pastry as you go. It doesn’t need to be perfect - you just want to make sure there aren’t edges left unwrapped, as the filling could fall out while it’s being baked. 

Sprinkle the tomatoes with flaky salt and drizzle them with olive oil. 

Last, combine the plant based milk and 1 tbsp oil in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush the pastry evenly with the milk mixture. 

Transfer the baking tray into the oven and bake the galette for 50-55 minutes, rotating the galette half way through, until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the tomatoes look deeply roasted and jammy. 

Remove the galette from the oven and let it cool for 20 minutes before serving - where it will slightly deflate and set. Serve warm or at room temperature.