As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some recipes may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
Gluten-Free Buckwheat Galette
Gluten-Free Buckwheat Galette, also known in France as La Galette Bretonne, is a seriously wholesome and satisfying breakfast filled crêpe to enjoy for those lazy weekend mornings or as an indulgent snack.
I love this pancake/crêpe dish – lots of opportunities to custom-fill each one with your favourite filling. If you aren’t a big fan of eggs, simply fill up this space with more cheese, ham and whatever vegetables you fancy.
What is a Buckwheat Galette?
It is a thin buckwheat crêpe filled with several slices of strong cheese, ham and an egg. Classically, this is known as a galette complète but any savoury filled buckwheat crêpe is known as a galette Bretonne (or Breton galette) in France.
Additional ingredients may include asparagus, spinach, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes or peppers/capsicums. Once the crêpes are folded over at the corners towards the filling, leaving them slightly exposed, the crêpe is transformed into a “galette”.
How is a Buckwheat Galette prepared?
This savoury crêpe (or thin pancake) is made from buckwheat flour which is naturally a gluten-free flour (although the name is scary in gluten-free recipes, it is totally gluten-free!)
Once the crêpe batter has rested for 30 minutes, each crêpe is fried gently on one side, then flipped over to be filled with:
- Slices of strong cheese
- Slices of ham
- Blanched asparagus spears (or other vegetables mentioned above)
- A fresh egg
The four corners of the crêpe are folded over to encase the filling like a square envelope but framing a window to expose the filling attractively.
The length of cooking will depend on how you like your eggs cooked. As a guide, allow 3 minutes for soft eggs or 5 minutes for well-cooked.
It helps to cover the pan with a lid to generate more heat and steam to speed up the cooking of the egg and the melting of the cheese.
Where did “La Galette Bretonne” originate from?
For those who like to know the history of dishes, this one was inspired by the Duchess Anne of Brittany in Northern France (hence the name, Bretonne), who introduced buckwheat crêpes as a healthy dish to the local cuisine. It later evolved into an elaborated “galette” encased dish with varied fillings. Incidentally, in Norman times – a galette was known as a gale – which is referred to as a ‘flat cake’.
Some tips for the perfect galette:
Rest the batter
for at least 30 minutes. If you intend to rest it longer, chill it but you will need to bring it to room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking. During my testing of these crêpes, I found that 30 minutes of resting at room temperature was sufficient.
Invest in a crêpe spreader
if you intend to make crêpes on a regular basis. It really does get the job done when spreading the batter evenly across the pan.
Use butter
not oil, to grease the crêpe pan. It really makes a difference in flavour.
A thin pouring cream
should be the consistency of the batter. If it appears too thick, whisk in a small amount of water to loosen it up.
Use a crêpe frying pan
or a cast-iron pan to cook the galette.
Heat the crêpe pan up over medium heat.
Don’t be tempted to crank up the heat as the crêpe will over-cook and the filling will be under-cooked.
Use two wide spatulas
to help you flip over the delicate crêpe and to fold the corners down.
Have the fillings prepared in advance
before cooking to save last-minute slicing and chopping.
Gluten-Free Buckwheat Galette
Equipment
- Crepe pan or regular frying pan
- crepe spreader or spatula
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Buckwheat Crêpe
- 100 g gluten-free buckwheat flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 150-200 ml water, at room temperature
- Soft or melted butter to brush the pan
Buckwheat Galette Filling
- 3 fresh eggs organic if possible
- 3 slices strong cheese e.g., Gruyère, Emmental or Comté
- 3 slices ham either light or regular
- 12 asparagus spears, blanched and ends removed
- Freshly cracked pepper to season
- Fresh chives, snipped finely to garnish
Instructions
Gluten-Free Buckwheat Crêpe
- In a medium bowl, sieve the buckwheat flour and mix with the salt.
- Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the egg.
- Using a fork, lightly beat the egg.
- Gradually pour the water into the centre, combining all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon or spatula. The batter should appear like a thin cream. If not, add a bit more water to achieve this consistancy.
- Cover the bowl with a plate or plastic film and leave to rest for 30 mins at room temperature.
Buckwheat Galette Filling
- Remove the asparagus ends by snapping off at the weakest point by bending the spear. Tip: Green asparagus does not need to be peeled. Only the ends need to be trimmed by slightly bending the asparagus until it snaps apart at the area where it starts to be tough.
- Blanch the asparagus in simmering water for 5 mins.
- Remove the asparagus to a bowl of iced cold water.
- Drain. Trim the asparagus slightly and slice them lengthways in half. Set aside.
- Slice the cheese and ham into smaller pieces.
- Snip the chives into small pieces.
- Bring the eggs out to room temperature and have a small bowl on standby to crack each egg in when filling the galette.
- Organise all the fillings onto a plate or board to fill the galettes later.
Cooking
- Heat either a crêpe pan or a cast iron pan to medium heat.
- Brush the entire bottom of the pan with soft or melted butter using a brush or a wad of paper napkins.
- Pour 1 ½ soup ladles of batter into the pan, spreading it quickly with a crêpe spreader or a spatula.
- Cook for 1 minute.
- Release the edges gently with a spatula and lift the galette to flip over and cook the other side.
- Immediately fill the galette with cheese, ham, asparagus and lastly, the egg as shown in the photo.
- Fold the four edges of the crêpe towards the centre and press down with a spatula to allow the galette to adhere and hold its shape.
- Cover the pan with a large lid or plate and allow 3 mins for softly cooked eggs or 5 mins for fully cooked eggs.
Serving
- Season the buckwheat galette with freshly cracked pepper and garnish with snipped chives.
- Serve immediately or keep warm covered in a very low oven while preparing the remaining galettes. It is ideal and preferable to eat them straight away, especially if you are after softly cooked eggs.
Notes
Buckwheat Crêpes
- The uncooked batter and cooked crêpes keep for 2 days chilled
- Cooked crêpes are suitable to freeze
Cooked and Filled Buckwheat Galette
- Best eaten straight away
- Unsuitable to freeze
Traditionally, apple cider is served with buckwheat galettes, but if this is going to be served at breakfast, a glass of apple juice, still or sparkling will compliment this dish perfectly.
you may also like
Gluten-Free Asparagus Tart
Gluten-Free French Toast
Please join my email list to receive a free gluten-free mini baking cookbook, plus regular updates of newly released gluten-free recipes!