Savoury Tomato and Cashew Cream Cheese Galette

Hannah Sunderani
Sep 3, 2016
4 min read

This Tomato and Cashew Cream Cheese Galette is the most mouth watering savoury weekend brunch dish ever! Really! A couple weekends ago I woke up early to make this heavenly galette, and it was SO worth it! The feeling of true accomplishment when pulling out a beautifully baked savoury pastry is like none-other. And enough to make you feel like you owned the weekend.

Don't you just love the idea of sitting down for a weekend brunch in complete tranquility, with nothing in your mind except a hungry belly, and slicing into a freshly baked savoury galette? Your senses heighten as you lay eyes on the thick cashew cream cheese and brightly roasted tomatoes. Alas, bitting in to the rich flavours, paired so perfectly with the flakiness and crunch of phyllo. That is the dream! The perfect Sunday we all long for. Unfortunately, my weekend is nothing the sort of this peaceful dream. It's usually devoted to all the chores I ignored throughout the week, like vacuuming our shockingly dusty floors, cleaning my tub, exercising, and sometimes attempting anything to cure last night's hangover! So needless to say it's far from a tranquil rest. But, this beautiful galette has introduced me to the wonderful work of "faking it." Because, when you pull a stunningly golden savoury galette out the oven, you can't help but feel like you kicked this weekend's ass! And total bliss takes over.

A few weekends ago I decided it was time to pay myself a favour and bake one of these galettes to bask in all the glory, and to feel like a woman who can do it all! We were meeting a group of friends later that day for brunch, and I knew this would make a lasting impression. It all went off perfectly! Not only did the galette come out the oven singing the hallelujah chorus, but the pleasant aroma that filled our home made the sweet glory linger through the morning. I floated around the house wafting in the smell with complete glee, effortlessly accepting the role of the modern day Mary Poppins. "You did it Hannah! You can do it all!" Was all I could hear every time I laid eyes on that beautiful galette. And let's be honest, we all need this confidence boost every once and a while.

Although it requires an early riser to prep don't let that deter you. In fact, what I love about this recipe is how it can be prepared hours ahead of time, and doesn't need to be served right away. It tastes just as good at room temperature as it does warm. And waiting a few hours for the galette to cool gives time for the crunchy savoury flavours in the pastry to come through. By the time I served this to our friends it was at room temperature and they loved it! None of our friends were vegan, and they praised it all the same! So if you're looking for a confidence boosting recipe to impress, which will make you feel like you can run the world, try baking this savoury tomato galette. I know I will definitely be making this Martha Stweard mag-worthy galette again, if not by popular request, then just to make me feel like a total boss!

Savoury Cashew Cream Cheese and Tomato Galette

Serves: 6-8| Prep Time: 25 mins | Cook Time: 75 mins

Ingredients:

Cashew Cream Cheese (see recipe below)
8 tomatoes, of mixed variety and colours
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
salt and pepper
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
8 pitted black olives, chopped
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp chives, chopped

For the Cashew Cream Cheese:

1 cup raw cashews (soaked in water overnight)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
the juice of 1/2 lemon
splash water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F. Chop your tomatoes into slices and add to a mixing bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and crack with salt and pepper. Gently toss the tomatoes to combine.
Line two baking trays with tin foil and layer the tomatoes side-by-side onto the tray. Pour on any of the juices left over from the bowl and place in the oven to bake for 40-50 minutes. Switch the baking trays from top to bottom after 20 minutes to ensure both trays are evenly baked. Then, remove from oven and increase oven to 400F.
While you're waiting for your tomatoes prepare you cashew cream cheese. In a blender add cashews, nutritional yeast, salt, apple cider vinegar, evoo, the juice of 1/2 lemon and a splash of water. Blend until smooth. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and roll out puff pastry. Using a fork lightly poke to make little holes into the puff pastry all around. Using a spatula, scoop cashew cream cheese into puff pastry and spread evenly from end to end, leaving 1-inch plain boarder.
Decorate puff pastry with your roasted tomatoes over top of the cashew cream cheese. Then, sprinkle with chopped olives and thyme. Place in the oven to bake for approx. 25 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven, sprinkle with chives and crack with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Approvals: