Galette comes from the (French ) Norman word gale, meaning a flat cake, and its traditions date back to ancient Roman pagan festivals. Often considered a rustic farmhouse dish in recent times it has come back into fashion. I created this recipe for my online cooking classes because I was asked for a vegetarian recipe that also included fruit. This deceptively simple dish has layers of flavours: from the leeks and shallots, to the hint of Dijon mustard. Galette pastry at its best should be buttery and melt in the mouth.
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Galette Pastry
220 g plain flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
140 g unsalted butter cut into small pieces and cold
4 ½ Tbsp ice water
Egg yolk mix with water for glaze
Method:
- Stir the salt into the flour.
- Rub the butter into the flour until you have a sandy texture with a tiny few pieces of butter still showing.
- Add the ice water 1 Tbsp at a time until there is enough moisture that the pastry comes together.
- Shape into a flat disk, cling wrap and place in the fridge for 40 minutes to rest.
Galette Filling
20g unsalted butter
340g leeks cleaned and thinly sliced into rondels,
50g shallots sliced
½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
100ml double cream
50g cream cheese
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon chopped
170g-180g goat cheese
2 small sweet pears approximately 240 g
30 grams roughly chopped walnuts
Sea salt and pepper to taste
½ lemon
Method:
- In a heavy saucepan melt butter on a medium heat (6-7). Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 6 minutes. After 3 minutes add the sliced shallots and continue to cook and stir.
- Season with salt and pepper, then add Dijon mustard, double cream and the tarragon.
- Turn the heat down and cook until the cream has reduced by half and the mixture is thick, about 5 minutes. Taste and then season with salt and pepper. Let the leek mix cool completely. You can speed the cooling by sitting the leek mixture over ice blocks if you wish.
- When ready to assemble the galette, preheat the oven to 190°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it is about ¼ inch thick and 12-inch circle.
- Gently roll the dough up on to the rolling pin and transfer it to the center of the sheet pan. It should hang off the sides slightly.
- Cut the 2 pears into ¼’s lengthwise then cut the stork and core out at a 45 degree angle. Place the pear quarters into a bowl of cold water that has the juice from ½ a lemon to stop the pear discolouring until you use it.
- Spread the cold leek mixture evenly around the dough, leaving a 2 inch border on the outside.
- Mash the cream cheese into the goat’s cheese until it is smooth, then spread the mixture on top of the leeks with a palette knife.
- Cut each pear quarter into 3-4 thin slices and drain them.
- Now arrange the pear slices in a circular pattern.
- Carefully gather the outer border of dough and fold it up and over the filling to form a 1-2 inch crust.
- Brush the outer crust with egg yolk mixture to produce a shinier, more golden crust.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. When the Galette has been baking for 30 minutes sprinkle on the walnuts and place back into the oven on the middle shelf to finish off.
- Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
Chef Tips:
Galette is easy to reheat in a moderate oven at 150 C°for about 10 minutes. Serving suggestion: Serve the Galette with a roasted pepper salad and crusty bread.
Pear and Goats Cheese Galette©Kevin Ashton 2026
