Cheese Galette
A cheese galette is a delicious French pastry that is quite easy to make at home. These ingredients come together to create a savoury and visually appealing cheese and tomato galette. This savoury take on the classic galette is sure to make your lunches much more interesting.
In this post, you will learn how to make a Cheese Galette.
What is a Galette?
A galette is a term used in French cuisine to describe a variety of flat, round, or free-form crusty cakes or tarts. The term “galette” encompasses different types of pastries and cakes, ranging from savoury to sweet, but they all share a rustic, unfussy appearance. This recipe will be focusing on making a cheese galette with a tomato base.
What is the Best Cheese to Use for my Cheese Galette
When making a cheese galette, choosing the right cheese is crucial to achieving the desired flavour and texture. The best cheeses for a cheese galette should melt well, complement the other ingredients, and enhance the overall taste.
Best Cheeses for a Cheese Galette
- Gruyère
- Gruyère is nutty, with a slightly sweet flavour with a creamy texture when melted. This makes it melt beautifully and adds a rich, complex flavour to the galette.
- Cheddar
- Cheddar has a sharp and tangy flavour and is available in various aging levels. Sharp cheddar adds a robust flavour and melts well, making it a versatile choice for a cheese galette.
- Fontina
- Mild, nutty, and slightly earthy flavour with a creamy texture. Fontina melts smoothly and pairs well with other ingredients, providing a creamy, rich texture.
- Goat Cheese (Chèvre)
- Goat cheese is tangy, creamy, and has a slightly tart flavour. Goat cheese adds a distinctive tang and creaminess. It works well when combined with vegetables or herbs in the galette.
- Brie or Camembert
- Brei or Camembert is creamy, buttery, and has a mildly tangy flavour. These soft cheeses melt into a luscious, creamy filling, adding a touch of elegance to the galette.
- Feta
- Feta has a tangy, salty, and crumbly texture. Feta adds a bold, salty flavour and pairs well with Mediterranean-inspired ingredients like spinach, olives, and tomatoes.
- Mozzarella
- Mozzarella has a mild, creamy flavour with excellent melting properties. Mozzarella provides a gooey, stretchy texture, making it a great base cheese to mix with other, more flavourful cheeses.
- Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
- Parmesan or Pecorino Romano is a hard, aged cheeses with a salty, umami flavour. These cheeses add a punch of flavour and can be used grated over the galette or mixed with other cheeses for added depth.
Tips for Using Cheese in a Galette
- Combining Cheeses: for a more complex flavour, consider combining two or more cheeses. For example, mix Gruyère with a bit of Parmesan for a nutty, savoury blend.
- Balance with Other Ingredients: consider the other ingredients in your galette. For example, pair goat cheese with roasted vegetables or Gruyère with caramelized onions and mushrooms.
- Melting Properties: ensure the cheese you choose melts well to achieve a creamy and cohesive filling.
The best cheese for a cheese galette depends on your flavour preference and the other ingredients you plan to use. Gruyère, cheddar, Fontina, goat cheese, Brie, feta, mozzarella, and Parmesan are all excellent choices. Combining different cheeses can also create a more nuanced and delicious galette. Select cheeses that melt well and complement the flavours of your chosen fillings for the best results.
Can I Add Ham to My Cheese Galette?
Yes, you can definitely add ham to your cheese galette! Adding ham will bring an extra layer of savoury flavour and protein, making the galette even more satisfying.
Best Types of Ham to Use
- Deli Ham: thinly sliced deli ham works well because it’s easy to layer and evenly distribute throughout the galette.
- Cooked Ham: you can also use diced or shredded cooked ham, such as leftover baked ham or pre-cooked ham cubes.
- Prosciutto: for a gourmet twist, thinly sliced prosciutto can add a delicate, salty flavour.
How Do I Incorporate the Ham into My Galette?
The ham will be added in between step 3 and step 4.
- Even Distribution: ensure the ham is evenly distributed to get a bit of ham in every bite.
- Quantity: use about 1/2 to 1 cup of diced or shredded ham, or 4-6 slices of deli ham or prosciutto, depending on your preference and the size of your galette.
- Flavour Balance: if the ham is very salty, you might want to reduce the amount of bacon or choose a less salty variety of bacon to avoid overpowering the galette.
- Moisture Control: pat the ham dry with a paper towel if it seems very moist to prevent the galette from becoming soggy.
Whether you use deli ham, cooked ham, or prosciutto, it will pair well with the cheeses, tomato paste, and other ingredients. Just be sure to distribute it evenly and adjust the other salty components as needed to maintain a balanced flavour profile. Enjoy your enhanced cheese and ham galette!
What is a Puff Pastry?
Puff pastry is a light, flaky pastry made by layering dough with butter and folding it multiple times before rolling it out. It puffs up during baking due to the steam created from the butter layers.
This recipe calls for a store bought puff pastry, but you can also make your own at home!
What is the Purpose of the Egg Wash?
This pastry recipe used a whole egg wash which includes a beaten whole egg with a bit of milk. This provides a shiny, golden-brown finish with good browning and a slight crispness. The best way to apply an egg wash is to use a pastry brush.
Ingredients
Puff Pastry: puff pastry acts as the base and crust of the galette, providing a crispy and buttery texture that complements the savoury filling.
Tomato Paste: tomato paste adds a deep, robust tomato flavour that forms the base layer of the filling, enhancing the overall taste.
Sundried Tomatoes: sundried tomatoes provide a burst of intense, tangy tomato flavour and a slightly chewy texture, complementing the richness of the cheeses and the smokiness of the bacon.
Mature Cheddar: mature cheddar adds a sharp, tangy flavour and a creamy, meltable texture that pairs well with the tomato and bacon, enhancing the overall savoury profile.
Mozzarella Ball: the mozzarella ball slices provide a creamy, gooey texture when melted and a mild flavour that balances the stronger flavours of the cheddar and sundried tomatoes.
Bacon Bits: the bacon bits contribute a savoury, smoky flavour and a crunchy texture, enhancing the overall depth of the galette’s filling.
Spring Onion: the spring onion adds a fresh, mild onion flavour and a bit of colour, providing a slight sharpness that cuts through the richness of the cheeses and bacon.
Egg: the egg is used for the egg wash and provides a shiny, golden-brown finish to the puff pastry, enhancing its appearance and adding a slight sheen and crispness.
Milk: milk is added to the egg to form a nice egg wash for the puff pastry.
Tips
- Add some ham between the sundried tomatoes and cheese for an extra hearty, cheesy galette.
- Make sure to egg wash your galettes as the egg wash creates a shiny, golden-brown finish, contributes to a crisp crust, helps toppings adhere, and can help seal pastry edges.
- Pre-fry your bacon so that it is nice and crispy on top of your cheese galette.
- After the galettes have baked garnish the tops of them with the finely sliced spring onion for a fresh taste and colourful appearance.
- To mix it up, try leaving the pastry whole and making one large galette. Use a knife to cut it up into slices.
Cheese Galette
Ingredients
- 1 puff pastry 13”x8”
Tomato and Cheese Filling
- 1 can of tomato paste
- 6 oz. sundried tomatoes
- 1 c. red mature cheddar, shredded
- 1 mozzarella ball thinly sliced
- 1/4 c. bacon bits ,pre-cooked
- 1/4 c. spring onion sliced thinly
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp. milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉/200℃/Gas Mark 6.
- Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface. Once rolled out cut the pastry into 8 4”x4” squares.
- Spoon the tomato paste onto each individual puff pastry and spread around leaving about half an inch from the edge of the pastry.
- Place the sundried tomatoes onto each pastry.
- Sprinkle the shredded red cheddar onto each pastry then top with a slice of mozzarella.
- Fold up the sides of the puff pastry until all the sides are turned over and sticking.
- Sprinkle with pre-fried bacon bits.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg and then pour in milk and whisk together. Brush egg mixture on the sides of each individual pastry.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and let cool. Sprinkle with freshly sliced spring onion.