French Buckwheat Galettes

My introduction to French galettes was on a rainy summer evening on Île Saint‑Louis. My husband was holed up in our hotel; I was heading back to meet him and hoped to pick up takeaway for a cozy night in. I asked my favorite produce merchant to recommend a good spot and he pointed across the street to Crêperie Île Saint‑Louis — one of the best places for galettes in Paris.

This tiny crêperie has fed thousands of locals and visitors since it opened; evidence of that is the queue that forms every night at 5 p.m. Everything is made from scratch — one crêpe at a time — so be prepared to join the line, relax, and wait. When I arrived the chef was at the crêpière, pouring delicate batter onto the griddle and turning it into crêpes and galettes. Customers lined the sidewalk while a good‑natured staff weaved through the crowd, serving small glasses of fresh‑pressed apple cider — Breton, I think — possibly the best cider I’ve ever tasted.

I ordered a simple cheese galette, something warm and filling enough to fend off the chill. Galettes come from Upper Brittany and are a cornerstone of Breton cuisine. They’re made with buckwheat flour (farine de sarrasin), folded into neat squares, and filled with savory ingredients like smoked ham and cheese — or with more modern additions such as smoked salmon and crème fraîche. Crêpes, by contrast, use wheat flour and are usually sweet, more of a snack or dessert. Later at night customers often switch from a savory galette to a dessert crêpe.

In French, “galette” comes from a Norman word that translates to “flat cake.” Galettes date back to Roman times and in French cuisine denote a flat or crusty pancake, savory or sweet. In Brittany they’re street food; during Epiphany they appear as galette des rois. They can be topped with an egg or rolled around a sausage and called a galette complète. In many pastry shops, “galette” also refers to a rustic fruit tart, filled with juicy peaches, apricots, or the best seasonal fruit.

Unlike traditional tarts, galettes are made by folding the edges over the filling, leaving the center exposed.

Our galette arrived as a savory buckwheat pancake oozing with melted cheese, piping hot. We kept it simple, though many customers topped theirs with heirloom tomatoes or other cheeses like gruyère or feta. One galette easily serves two; we shared ours with a salad and a bit of French wine.

So simple, yet so satisfying. Bon appétit — the less you do, the better they taste.

Traditional Galette Recipe

2 3/4 cups  buckwheat flour (from Brittany, if possible)
2 tsp coarse salt
About 3 cups water
1 egg
Coarse salt
French butter

Prepare the galette batter: In a large mixing bowl, make a well in the buckwheat flour and add the salt. Gradually pour in the water, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon to avoid lumps. Once smooth, add the egg and mix until fully combined.

Let the batter rest: Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or cling film and refrigerate for about 2 hours. This helps the flour fully hydrate and results in better texture when cooked.

Cook the galettes: Once the batter has rested, heat a knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Pour in a ladleful of batter and quickly swirl the pan to spread it into a thin, even layer. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, flipping carefullywith a spatula once the edges start to lift and the underside is golden.

Fill the galettes: Return one galette to the buttered pan over medium heat. Sprinkle over the grated Emmental, lay down a slice of ham, and add an egg. For best results, you can either crack the egg directly onto the galette and cook it sunny side up, or scramble it separately before adding. Season with a pinch of salt, then fold in the edges of the galette to form a square. Cook until the cheese has melted and the egg is done to your liking. – Taste France Magazine

Ham and Cheese Filling

4 eggs
1 cup grated Emmental
cooked and sliced ham, optional
chives
-Taste France Magazine-

Salmon and dill filling

1-pound salmon fillet with skin
3 tablespoons salted butter, divided
8 green onions, thinly sliced
8 ounces smoked salmon, finely chopped, divided
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons drained capers
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill plus sprigs for garnish
8 buckwheat crepes

Score flesh side of salmon fillet at 1 1/2-inch intervals 1/2 inch deep in crisscross pattern; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon, skin side down. Cook until skin is lightly browned, 3 minutes. Turn salmon over and partially cook until just warm, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to plate. Cut salmon, including skin, into 1/2-inch pieces; cool.

Heat same skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter, green onions and 2/3 of smoked salmon. Sauté 2 minutes; add reserved salmon. Toss until heated through. Remove from heat; add lemon juice, capers, and chopped dill. Season with salt and pepper.

Melt 1 teaspoon butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Working with 1 crepe at a time, add to skillet and heat through. Spoon 1/8 of salmon mixture onto bottom third of each crepe. Roll up and place on plate. Garnish with reserved smoked salmon and dill sprigs. Repeat with remaining butter, crepes, and salmon. – Bon Appetit