Galettes Bretonnes

Dinner

Galettes Bretonnes are deliciously crispy buckwheat pancakes from the rugged coast of Brittany. Unlike the sweet, delicate crêpes you might know, galettes are savoury, hearty, and packed with rich fillings like cheese, egg, and vegetarian ham, the perfect comfort food!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 4

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Ingredients  

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For the galette batter

• 250 gr buckwheat flour
• 1 egg
• 500 ml water cold
• 20 mg unsalted butter plus extra for the pan
• 1 pinch salt

For the filling

• 12 plant based ham
• 120 gr Gruyère cheese or Emmental
• 4 egg
• black pepper freshly ground
• 1 handful chives
• 120 gr baby spinach optional

Equipment

• 1 mixing bowl
• 1 whisk
• 1 ladle
• 1 frying pan or crêpe pan
• 1 spatula
• 1 grater
• 1 knife

Instructions

1. 1. Prepare the batter

   Pour your buckwheat flour and salt into a large bowl. Crack your egg into the middle, then whisk with roughly half the water. Once the mixture is smooth, add the remaining water gradually. Pour in the melted butter and whisk well. Let your batter rest, covered, for at least 1 hour.
2. 2. Bake the galettes

   Heat your pan on medium-high and lightly grease it with butter. Give the batter a quick whisk then ladle a generous amount into the pan, swirl until evenly coated.
3. 3. Fill your galette

   Once the top looks set and the edges begin to lift, lay on 1 slice of vegetarian ham and, if using, a sprinkle of spinach. Crack an egg in the middle, season with black pepper, sprinkle your cheese (leaving the yolk showing) and cover with a lid. The lid really does the magic here, helping the egg white set and the cheese melt. If you're unsure, you can also fry your eggs separately and slide them on top of your pancake.
4. 4. Fold your galette

   Fold in the edges of the galette so you have a neat square or diamond with the yolk visible. Leave for a further minute if you fancy your egg set, or plate up right away for a runny centre.
5. 5. Serve

   Repeat with the remaining batter and filling. Serve immediately, piping hot with fresh chives on top!

Notes

• Resting the batter makes a world of difference to texture and taste. It gives the flour time to hydrate so you’ll get those signature lacy galette edges.
• The first pancake is always a touch suspect, so don’t despair! A well-heated pan and confident swirl get you a gorgeous, thin galette worthy of a French crêperie.

About this recipe

Despite their air of rustic simplicity, these Galettes Bretonnes have a backstory richer than you’d expect. Buckwheat isn’t even French but was brought back from the Crusades in Asia during the Middle Ages. For centuries, buckwheat galettes were the “pain noir” of Brittany, a staple for farmers and families, eaten like bread or torn up in soup, never with the cheesy fillings and eggs we know today.

It wasn’t until the late 19th century that the “galette complète” appeared, at first, eggs and ham were true luxury, reserved for special guests or a day when fortunes smiled. The crêperie, as an institution, is surprisingly modern (think more Paris in the 1900s than ancient Brittany), but it quickly became a cornerstone of community, much like your UK local chippy. The modern galette has become a canvas for all sorts of inventive toppings, but the holy traditional trinity, ham, cheese, egg, remains beloved in Brittany and anywhere you fancy a slice of seaside nostalgia.

Legend has it the shape, square, with a golden yolk beaming from the centre, mimics the Breton flag: black, white and gold, proudly wafting in the wind off Saint-Malo.

What’s the difference between a galette and a crêpe?
Crêpes (or as the UK calls them pancakes) and galettes are cousins, but they grew up in different parts of Brittany with slightly different personalities. A crêpe is made with wheat flour, milk, and egg, lacy, tender, and most often served with sweet fillings (think sugar, lemon, melted chocolate). You’ll see them golden and topped with everything from chantilly to flambéed Grand Marnier, especially in western Brittany and all over France.

A galette, on the other hand, is the rebel with its roots in upper Brittany, made using buckwheat flour, salt, and water (sometimes with a sneaky egg), producing a crisp-edged, earthy-punchy pancake that shines with savoury toppings like ham, cheese, and egg. Its colour is darker, the flavour strikingly nutty and robust, and it’s traditionally folded into a square to show off its fillings as we do in this Galettes Bretonnes recipe.