Buckwheat pancakes, galette bretonne, galette de sarrasin, galette de blé noir, or galette normande!! In short, a delicious gluten-free pancake (galette) originating from Brittany, made from buckwheat flour. They have a gorgeous, minerally, earthy, nutty flavour, and although traditionally a savoury pancake (recipe below), the nuttiness also pairs well with honey, fruit, and yoghurt.
Brittany is famous for its creperies – whole restaurants are dedicated to the cause. Served alongside local cider, creperies in Brittany can be almost as popular as cafes. As an alternative to Shrove Tuesday and a great lunch or supper idea, why not try making a batch of galette normande, washed down with a glass of cider? Super easy to make. You need to prepare the batter at least 2 hours in advance. The flour needs time to hydrate.
This is an old recipe of mine – a quick research showed pancake batter with milk, added wheat flour and a little oil. But for me, this recipe is foolproof and very simple. The batter is thin but easy to work with. To cook the galettes, you need plenty of butter and a dash of oil in a large, heavy-duty pan (or a pancake pan). Heat the butter and oil, then pour in a ladleful of the mixture and quickly swirl it around to coat/fill the pan’s base. Then wait for all the bubbles to rise. Turn it over and do the same on the other side. The result is a heavily-laced traditional galette – soft but slightly crisp at the edges.
The Classic Galette Complète
Have all your fillings ready – the famous and classic ‘galette complète‘ is grated Emmental cheese, followed by a slice of ham with maybe some spinach (or any wilted greens) and fried mushrooms, topped with the egg. To serve, fold over the two opposite sides, then fold over the remaining two sides. You can also roll or fold on three sides to make a triangle. The egg is cracked on top or tucked inside the fold. It’s tricky to make this work in a pancake pan – you need the bilge or cast iron flat griddle or a very big flat cast iron pan (skillet). So I would recommend pre-frying your egg – the yolk should be runny!
Inspiration for Fillings
After that, ideas for fillings are endless. You could opt for crème fraîche and salmon – maybe with some diced potato and chives. Mixed mushrooms – again with a little crème fraîche, garlic, and plenty of parsley. Mixed cheeses or leek fondue. Take a leaf out of the pizza book: melt goat’s cheese with a drizzle of honey and chopped walnuts; ditto raclette cheese with lardons and diced potato. Sausages (maybe with diced apple) or white fish in a creamy sauce are popular fillings! Check out the famous Creperie Ahna – they take the fillings to a whole new level.
Two good links, from the BBC and Harvard, praising the benefits of Buckwheat.
For the full pancake recipe repertoire, click here for breakfast and brunch inspiration.
Buckwheat Pancakes or Galette Bretonne
Ingredients
Galettes
- 100 g buckwheat flour farine de blé noir, farine de sarrasin
- 1 large egg
- 1½ tsp sel de guerande is traditional but Himalayan is also perfect
- 280-300 ml water
- butter and olive oil for cooking
Galette Filling for the 'complete' – per person
- 1 egg
- 1-2 large chestnut mushrooms – finely sliced and fried with plenty of black pepper
- 1 large handful of greens/spinach – wilted with a little salt
- approx 40 g grated Emmental cheese
- slice of ham of your choice
- parsley/chives and chilli flakes to garnish optional
Instructions
- Make a well in the centre of the flour, crack in the egg, and add a couple of tablespoons of water. Whisk to form a smooth paste, then gradually add up to 280ml of water to form a runny batter. Whisk in the salt
- Leave to stand in the fridge for at least a couple of hours or overnight.
- The batter should be thin, runny, and have a single-cream consistency. Add a drop more water if it is too thick. I also always check for salt.
- Put the pan over a high heat with a small knob of butter and a tiny drizzle of olive oil. Swirl the fat around so it covers the base of the pan. Add about half a cup of the mixture. The mixture is quite forgiving, so pour in the mixture, swirl again to cover the base of the pan, and add a little more mixture if necessary. Wait for bubbles and small holes to appear and set. About 2 minutes. Turn over the pancake and cook for another 2 minutes. Place on a warmed plate and cover. Cook the rest of the pancakes.
Assembling the Galettes
- Place the first galette back in the pan over low heat. Add the cheese; when it starts to melt, add the ham, wilted spinach, and mushrooms. Top with a fried egg. Fold over the opposite sides to form a square envelope.
- Garnish with parsley or chives and a little black pepper or chilli flakes. Serve with a rocket salad and a glass of cider!
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