Heirloom tomato season may be one of the most magical times of the year. It’s the only time that tomatoes actually taste as they should, and I ignore my acid reflux to slice and dice them to serve on anything and everything in celebration. I decided to Frankenstein the classic bagel and lox with my obsession for heirloom tomato galettes into the mash-up nobody asked for but everybody needs.
The first time I tested this, my brother-in-law Manuel ate three-quarters of the whole galette, proclaiming with excitement and finesse that it has “all of the flavors,” which has now become the way I best describe this recipe. If you think about it, it’s like serving a giant, sliceable everything bagel for a crowd by wrapping up scallion cream cheese, cured salmon, and juicy heirloom tomato slices in a flaky all-butter crust. As it bakes, the juices of the jammy caramelized tomatoes trickle down to each layer and the flavors infuse into a free-form pie of concentrated Judaism.
Everything Bagel Galette
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 3 cups (405g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, frozen
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons ice-cold water
- 2 tablespoons ice-cold vodka
For the Filling and Assembly
- 1 (8-ounce) package full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon dried capers, minced
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more sliced scallion greens for garnish
- 8 ounces sliced Nova smoked salmon
- 4 medium heirloom tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon Everything Seasoning, (see below)
- Flaky sea salt, for garnish
- Fresh dill fronds, for garnish
For the Everything Seasoning (makes about 1 cup)
- 1/4 cup white sesame seeds, toasted (see tip)
- 1/4 cup poppy seeds
- 3 tablespoons dried minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons dried minced onion
- 3 tablespoons flaky sea salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Make the Everything Seasoning
- This seasoning truly is everything. The combo of textures from sesame and poppy seeds is matched with the allium punch from dried flakes of garlic and onion to lift up any and every dish. Since we’re making a seasoning and already using flaky sea salt, I veer from tradition and throw in some coarsely ground black pepper for just a little kick. Bagels are obviously at the top of the everything seasoning food pyramid, but don’t hesitate to violently sprinkle this on avocado toast, soft-boiled eggs, roasted salmon, or even seared steak.
- In a small airtight container, mix together the Everything Sesoning ingredients: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper to combine. Store at room temperature for up to 1 month.
TIP: Hot and Toasty Nuts
- Whenever I’m working with nuts, seeds, or whole spices, I like to toast them first to awaken their oils, so they’ll add more flavor to whatever they touch. Simply throw them in a skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring continuously, until fragrant and lightly golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can toast them in the oven, a method I love for larger nuts like cashews or pistachios. Arrange them in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden. Note that in a recipe where the nuts, seeds, or whole spices will end up going into the oven—like the pistachios and pine nuts in my Persian-ish Granola, the sesame seeds for garnishing my challah recipe, and the cumin seeds in my Citrusy Cumin-Roasted Carrots—you shouldn’t toast them in advance or you’ll risk the chances of them burning.
Make the Galette Dough
- For the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and kosher salt. Using a box grater, coarsely grate the frozen butter, then add it to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Add the water and vodka and hand knead the mixture until a shaggy dough forms. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Make the Filling and Assemble
- For the filling and assembly: In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, capers, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and the scallions until incorporated.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into an 18-inch round, ⅙ inch thick. Transfer the dough to the prepared sheet pan. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the dough in an even layer, leaving a 2-inch border. Layer the smoked salmon over the cream cheese, followed by the tomato slices, shingling them to cover the cream cheese. Season the tomatoes with the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Fold the exposed border of the dough over the tomatoes with a series of pleats, then brush the outside of the dough liberally with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the everything seasoning.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Let cool for about 15 minutes, until just warm.
- Top the galette with a pinch of flaky sea salt, sliced scallions, and dill. Slice and serve.
Notes
From Jew-ish by Jake Cohen. Copyright © 2021 by Jake Cohen. Reprinted by permission of Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.