Goat cheese galette with figs and hazelnuts (seasonal savory tart)

If you've ever heard that grapes with cheese taste like a kiss, I can assure you that the pairing of purple figs with cheese is no less. This goat cheese, fig and hazelnut galette is a good example of this perfect combination and one of the recipes that is most successful at home during fig season.

If they're delicious fresh, roasted they are pure delight. Roasted figs take on a jam-like texture and since we add them chopped for this savory tart, it's worth using the ripest ones, or taking advantage of any that may have a bruise.

In this case the dough is homemade: I love that little hazelnut touch we add to the dough!, and then we finish each bite by adding toasted hazelnuts on top. Making the dough is easy, I definitely encourage you to try it, but you can use a store-bought refrigerated dough if you want to make the galette in record time.

This savory goat cheese and fig tart is delicious as is, although you can serve it with a salad to have a complete lunch or dinner. You only need a few lettuce leaves, dressed with a squeeze of lemon juice!

So you can see that figs with cheese also taste like a kiss, here is the recipe.

Le Creuset ceramic tart dish

Ingredients

For the filling

• 300 g soft goat cheese or soft vegan cheese
• 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
• A small bunch of thyme or oregano
• 3 tbsp capers
• A small bunch of parsley, leaves and stems chopped into pieces
• The juice and grated zest of ½ unwaxed lemon
• Unsalted butter or vegan butter, for greasing
• 8 purple figs
• 1 free-range hen egg, beaten, or a splash of plant-based milk
• 50 g hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

For the dough

• 25 g hazelnuts
• 1/2 tsp flaky salt
• 225 g white spelt or wheat flour, and a little more for dusting
• 125 g unsalted butter or unsalted vegan butter, very cold, in cubes

For serving

• Salad leaves dressed with lemon

Preparation

Prepare the galette dough:

1. Use a food processor to grind the hazelnuts little by little until you obtain fine crumbs; be careful not to overdo it, as otherwise it will turn into hazelnut butter.
2. Add the flour and half a teaspoon of flaky sea salt and pulse a little more to mix everything evenly.
3. Now add the very cold butter and pulse again until it has the appearance of breadcrumbs.
4. Next, with the motor running, add 2–3 tablespoons of ice-cold water, tablespoon by tablespoon, until a dough ball forms.
5. Take the dough out of the food processor and flatten it on a tray or a thick plate. Wrap it in a clean kitchen towel or parchment paper and refrigerate to chill for half an hour.

Prepare the filling and assemble the tart:

1. Preheat the fan oven to 220 °C.
2. Prepare the base of the cheese filling. In the same food processor, put the goat cheese, the honey, the leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme, the capers, the parsley, the juice and grated zest of half the lemon. Season with black pepper and blend for a few seconds until it forms a creamy texture with flecks of herbs and capers.
3. Grease your 28 cm Le Creuset ceramic dish with a little butter or non-stick spray.
4. Once the dough has chilled, take it out of the fridge and roll it out on a floured surface to form a circle of about 30 cm, about 1 cm thick, turning it as you roll to ensure it keeps its circular shape. Roll it onto the rolling pin and carefully transfer it to the tart dish, letting the excess dough hang over the edge.
5. Spread the goat cheese mixture over the dough base, spreading it across the interior.
6. Wash and slice the figs using a sharp knife (or a mandoline, about 3.5 mm thick). Arrange the sliced figs over the cheese generously, as they will shrink slightly when roasted.
7. Fold the edges of the dough inward, thus holding the cheese cream and figs in place.
8. Brush the dough edges with beaten egg and season on top with salt and pepper.
9. Bake for about 35–45 minutes until you see it golden and, 5 or 10 minutes before taking it out of the oven, if you like, you can also sprinkle chopped hazelnuts or almonds on top; they pair well with the filling and will decorate it (about 50 g of chopped hazelnuts on top is enough, and they will toast slightly in that time).
10. Remove from the oven and let cool on the tray for 10 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining thyme or oregano leaves on top.
11. You can eat it as is or serve it with a little salad dressed with lemon or a balsamic vinaigrette.

Notes

• You can make the recipe with any soft or creamy cheese. The one you like best or the one you have in the fridge.
• Use thyme, oregano, rosemary... Or lavender! You'll see what a wonderful aroma!
• To brush the dough before baking, you can use beaten egg or a plant-based milk, like almond or hazelnut milk.
• Make the galette in individual format if you have a dinner with guests. You can do it in the Le Creuset ceramic tartlets; they'll look stunning and you'll have them ready in less time!