For The Love of A Cuisinart and a Tomato and Cheese Galette

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TWD lighten?
In the early 1980’s I bought my first Cuisinart Food Processor.  It was love at first bite.  The first thing I made was bread.  I continued to use it to make bread for 16 years.  Along with chopping, mixing, stirring hundreds of other tasty treats.  In 1996 I burned up the motor … making a particularly organic loaf of whole wheat bread!

TWD Tom Galette butter
Since Kitchen Aid mixers were all the rage about then, my very sweet and conscientious Chief Culinary Consultant surprised me with a beautiful cobalt blue mixer.  “It does everything” he crooned as he recounted to me the features which were given to him by the sales clerk.

TWD dough
I really like my Kitchen Mixer.  It has been a great addition to my kitchen.  It does everything, and then some.

TWD Galette book
But over the years my heart has been tugged and pulled to the Cuisinart display over and over.  In 2008 the Chief bought me the newest and latest stainless steel Cuisinart Food Processor.  It sorta looked like my old one, but one loaf of bread and I knew it wasn’t the same as the model I bought in the 1980’s.  It was lighter weight and hopped all over the counter when I tried to use it.  I cautiously asked the Chief if I could “take it back.”  What a shock to him since I have pined for another one for years!  Women … we are so fickle.

TWD Basil tomato galette
Imagine my surprise when the Chief and I were at an old country auction a couple of years ago and there on the table sat an original Cuisinart DLC 7-Pro!  It  looked hardly even used even though it was a good 30 years old.  My heart started beating faster and pounding in my ears.  I had to have that Cuisinart!  I asked my sweetie if he would bid for me (I get nervous bidding).  He asked “how high do you want to go?”
“I want it” was all I said. He got the message. 🙂

Pepper Jack Cheese
$30 dollars later it is MINE!  I took it home and immediately started using it.  Then my constant use started to show its age.

cusinart shaftLittle bits of the plastic dough blade started chipping

off.    The stopping point was when the plastic shaft that

covers the actual metal shaft also started chipping away

rendering the food processor unusable.

TWD Cutting basil
So, when my Kitchen Aid bit the dust the Chief said, “well, at least you have the Cuisinart.”  That is when I explained it had been out of commission for some time.  When I explained my plight with broken pieces, he immediately researched the parts, ordered them and within a few days I had the food processor back on center stage in my kitchen.

TWD balsamic tomatoes
I immediately wanted to make something … anything that required the use of the Cuisinart.  Thanks to my Tuesdays With Dorie bakers I knew the Tomato and Cheese Galette was on my baking shortlist for June.  Within minutes I had the dough mixed up and ready to chill for a couple of hours in the refrigerator.

TWD wrap like a little purse
After rolling out this outstanding, beautiful dough I assembled the savory filling.   In addition to Monterey Jack and Mozzarella cheeses I added some Pepper Jack for a kick! Sprinkling my favorite balsamic vinegar over the tomatoes gave this tomato and cheese galette the perfect personal touch.  The basil came from my herb garden.

TWD Finished Galette

This rustic tart has a wonderful cornmeal-crunchy crust, rolled thin but yet strong enough to hold the tasty fresh garden tomatoes, blended cheeses and fresh-cut basil.

TWD Close up tom galette slice

Whether served warm or at room temperature I highly recommend this galette  perfectly suited for your summer picnics! It is easy to transport and a winner all the way around! Recent Tuesdays With Dorie rules have changed, letting me re-print today’s recipe from Baking With Julia.  However, my version is an adaptation of the original recipe.  Click here to take a peek at some of the other baker’s creations.

Happy Baking!
~Blessings, Catherine

Tomato and Cheese Galette
 
This rustic tart is adapted from a recipe by Flo Braker in Dorie Greenspan's cookbook, Baking With Julia. A real treat and crowd pleaser!
Ingredients
Galette Dough
  • 3 Tbls. sour cream (or yogurt or buttermilk)
  • ⅓ cup (approximately) ice water
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 7 Tbls. cold unsalted butter, cut into 6-8 pieces
Cheese and Tomato Ingredients
  • 2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
  • 2 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 2 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, cut or torn in to small pieces
  • 2 firm but ripe plum tomatoes, cut into ¼" slices
  • Balsamic vinegar to taste
Instructions
  1. Makes two 8-inch galettes
To make the dough by hand:
  1. Stir the sour cream and ice water together in a small bowl and set aside. Put the flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and stir with a fork to mix. Drop the butter pieces into the bowl, tossing them once or twice just to coat them with flour. With a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour, until the butter pieces are no larger than small peas. Smaller pieces will make the dough tender, larger ones will make it flaky.
  2. Sprinkle the sour cream mixture over the dough, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork to evenly distribute it. After you have added all of the sour cream, the dough should be moist enough to stick together when pressed (if not, add cold water 1 teaspoon at a time until you have a soft malleable dough).
To make the dough with a food processor:
  1. Combine ingredients in the work bowl of your food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse to combine. Drop butter in and pulse 8-10 times, until butter pieces are pea sized or smaller. With the machine running, add the sour cream mixture and process just until the dough forms moist soft curds.)
  2. Turn the dough out of the bowl. Divide it in half. Press each half into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Cheese and Tomato Galette
  1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place ½ recipe of dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll it into an 11" circle that's about ⅛ inch thick. Since the dough is soft, you'll need to lift it now and then and toss some flour under it and over the top. Roll the dough up and around your rolling pin and carefully place onto the prepared baking sheet.
Making The Filling
  1. Toss the cheeses and basil together in a small bowl, then scatter them over the rolled-out dough, leave a 2" to 3" border. Place the tomatoes on a small dish and sprinkle liberally with your favorite balsamic vinegar. Place the tomatoes in concentric circles, one slice slightly overlapping the last, on top of the cheese. Fold the uncovered border of dough up over the filling, allowing the dough to pleat or pucker as you lift it up and work your way around the galette. Because you are folding a wide edge of the dough onto a smaller part of the circle, it will pleat naturally -- just go with it!
Baking The Galette
  1. Bake the galette for 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden crisp and the cheese is bubbly. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the galette rest on the sheet for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Notes
This galette can be kept at room temperature for several hours, but refrigerated after that.

Galette dough can be kept in the refrigerator for a day or two, or it can be wrapped airtight and frozen for a month. Thaw, still wrapped, in the refrigerator until thawed and ready for use.

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25 thoughts on “For The Love of A Cuisinart and a Tomato and Cheese Galette”

  1. I can’t believe your hubby fixed the Cuisinart! Amazing. I would not think that was possible. Glad it’s back on track. Your garden basil looks so healthy and green. I bet the whole thing tasted amazing!

    Reply
  2. I’m so glad you were able to get your Cuisinart back in working condition. I have an old Osterizer blender that I wouldn’t trade for anything. My husband was able to find replacement parts for it too.

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  3. I remember keeping my first food processor (a Braun, not a Cuisinart) going for years after a flange on the lid broke off, and I had to use a skinny knife blade to make it believe that the lid was locked in place so it would start. It’s hard to part with beloved kitchen appliances. Your galette looks great…balsamic vinegar is a nice addition for the tomatoes.

    Reply
  4. I have my mother-in-law’s old cuisinart and wouldn’t part with it (hefty machine that it is!)…. although for this crust, I decided it would be easier to just blend in the butter with my fingertips like I do with scones, so I didn’t drag it out.

    Reply
  5. I love your story about the cuisine art. I remember when they first came out. They really revolutionized the kitchen for the home cook. Pepper jack sound like a great idea for the galette.

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  6. I get it! I traded my old (Circa late 90’s Cuisinart) for a new one a couple of years ago – and while I like my new one (more capacity), my original one held a special place in my heart.
    Your galette looks lovely!

    Reply
  7. Wow this looks good! I understand about your processor! I was given my cousins when he passed. It’s huge! And so heavy I can verly move it. He was a chef so he had all the extra blades and attachments. But when I used it it wouldn’t work. Had to send it off to Cuisenart. And they lost it! It took several months to get it back. I love it but have never made dough. I do that with my KitchenAid. I’m thinking I should try this!

    Reply
      • I have bought all my kids old Cuisinart’s from Garage sales over the years.
        Because I remember way … way back when you used to say ‘I would give up my refrigerator before I would give up my Cuisinart’
        Just last week when I was cooking with my new daughter-in-law, Elle, and using Brian’s Cuisinart, I told her about my friend Cathy who used to say ………. And I relayed your quote.
        Loveya and miss you, LindaKaye

        Reply

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