Gluten-free Buckwheat Galettes

Last updated on December 29th, 2019

These gluten-free buckwheat galettes (“Galette de Bretagne”) are deliciously versatile. I like to fill them with ham, cheese, and a sunny-side-up egg, just as my friends in Brittany do. For a grab-and-go lunch, you might like to roll a galette around a simple filling of cold cuts, mayonnaise, and lettuce greens. Buckwheat galettes themselves are a cinch to make.

Note #1. A galette is simply a crêpe made with buckwheat flour. You can find buckwheat flour in almost any supermarket. Even my lousy local Hannaford sells the stuff.

Note #2. I’ve experimented with lots of buckwheat galette recipes. The following version, which I take full credit for, produces a thin, attractive, mild-tasting galette. It is perfectly suitable for fillings savory or sweet.

Note #3. Enough chit chat for now. Watch the video above, and then get thee to thine kitchen!

Recipe: Gluten-free Buckwheat Galettes

Crack an egg into a medium bowl…

And violently whisk it into submission.

Then whisk in 1 tablespoon melted butter…

1 cup whole milk…

3/4 teaspoon salt…

1 teaspoon sugar (to neutralize the strong taste of the buckwheat)…

And 1 cup buckwheat flour.

Action shot! Whisk madly to remove any lumps.

Now cover the bowl, and refrigerate the batter overnight.  This way, the buckwheat particles will become fully hydrated.

The next morning (or afternoon, if your name is  Talullah Bankhead), thin out the batter with 1/2 cup water.

Whisk slowly and steadily until the water is fully incorporated, and the mixture resembles a thin pancake batter.

Cooking the Galettes

Heat a lightly-greased, non-stick skillet over a medium flame, and when the skillet is good and hot, pour on 1/4- to 1/2-cup of the batter.

Immediately tilt the skillet so that the batter forms a thin disk that covers (or nearly covers) the bottom of the pan.

Let the batter sit there until the underside — or “public side” browns attractively — 30-45 seconds.

Then flip the galette to lightly brown the other side. This non-public side will turn spotty brown in about 15 seconds.

Transfer the galette to a wire rack to cool. Then cook the remaining batter, stacking the galettes as they finished. The galettes won’t stick to each other.

The Brittany Brunch Galette

To make the famous Brittany galette of cheese, ham, and egg, proceed as follows:

First, fry an egg sunny-side-up, and season it with salt and pepper. (Fry multiple eggs if you are serving multiple galettes.) Remove the egg(s) to a plate or platter and keep warm.

Wipe out the skillet, add a galette with its public side facing up, and let it warm over medium-low heat.

When the galette is hot, quickly flip it, and then sprinkle on a small handful of shredded Swiss cheese.

After the cheese melts, add a thin slice of ham, and let it warm for just a moment.

Transfer the galette to a plate, and top it off with a fried egg.

Quickly fold over the long sides of the galette.

Then fold over the short sides, to make a square “frame.” Garnish, if you wish, with snipped chives or parsley, and enjoy for breakfast, brunch, or dinner!

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And…here’s the printable: