Name: Potato Galette
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup cold butter (cut into cubes); 1 egg; 2 tablespoons cold water; 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes (peeled (about 14 oz./400 g)); 1/2 cup basil pesto; Parmesan cheese (grated); salt and pepper

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If you are craving a savory pie with delicious flavors but simple steps, this potato galette recipe will hit the spot. The pesto sauce and Parmesan cheese give the baked thin potatoes a seasoned, savory flavor. The free-form pastry dough wrapped around it holds it all together in a rustic fashion. Let’s look at how to make a galette plus some tips and information below.

Baked potato galette on parchment, Parmesan cheese on the side.

Table of Contents

What is a Galette?

A galette is a French, flat, round pastry topped with thinly sliced ingredients. It is pronounced guh-let and in English means 'flat cake'. The pastry is free-form, as the sides of the pastry are folded slightly over the top of the filling and crimped, to loosely keep the filling in, and is then baked.

It can be a sweet or savory dish, and the most common ingredients are vegetarian like fruits, vegetables and cheese. There are other versions of the galette: like the galette Bretonne out of Brittany (which is actually a crepe), and the galette de rois (king cake that is made with puff pastry).

Potato galette sliced in half on parchment paper.

In this recipe, the thinly sliced potatoes are arranged and layered into a circle, adding to the rustic qualities of a classic galette.

Ingredients & Tools

Galette ingredients consist of a basic pastry and a filling.

For the Pastry:

1 ⅓ cups AP flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup cold butter - cut into cubes
1 egg
2 tablespoons cold water

For the Filling:

2 medium potatoes (Yukon Gold, Russet or Red) - peeled (about 14 oz./400 g)
½ cup basil pesto
Parmesan cheese - grated
Salt and pepper - to taste

You will also need something to bake it on like a sheet pan or pizza pan and a mandolin to finely slice the potatoes. They can be sliced by hand if you do not have one.

How to Make it

Step 1: Begin Making the Pastry Dough

In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt.

Step 2: Add Butter

Add the cubes of butter and cut them into the flour with a fork or your fingers until coarse.

Flour and butter in a bowl, one egg on the side.

Step 3: Form a Ball

Add the egg and 2 tablespoons cold water and work the mixture together just until it forms a ball (you can add 1 more tablespoon cold water if needed). Flatten into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Galette pastry dough in a bowl, wooden spoon on the side.

Step 4: Slice the Potatoes

Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper. Slice the potatoes with a mandoline to make very thin slices.

Step 5: Mix Potatoes With Pesto

Potato slices in a bowl, basil pesto in a separate bowl.

Mix sliced potatoes in a bowl with pesto sauce. Every slice should be coated with the sauce. Set aside.

Sliced potatoes and basil pesto in a glass bowl.

Step 6: Roll the Dough Out

Pastry dough on parchment paper with a rolling pin.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle that is approximately 13”-14” in diameter. Transfer to the parchment-lined pan.

Step 7: Add the Filling

Pastry dough on parchment paper with a rolling pin and some potato slices.

Layer the potato slices starting from the center of the pastry circle, leaving a 2” border around the edge. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper.

Step 8: Fold the Pastry Edges Over the Potatoes

Rolled out pastry on parchment paper with potato slices in the center.

Fold the dough border up around the edges to partially enclose the potato filling. The center will remain open.

Step 9: Bake the Potato Galette

Galette pastry dough on parchment paper with potato slices in the center.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the potatoes are cooked. Remove from the oven and let it cool a bit.

Step 10: Serve!

Parmesan grated over potato galette on parchment paper.

Sprinkle with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Slice and serve.

Tips & Tweaks

While the steps are easy, always be cautious when using a mandoline to slice potatoes. Here are some tips to help you stay safe using a mandoline:

Make sure the blade is sharp for more control.
Use the mandoline on a flat surface.
Always use the hand guard and inspect it with each use, as well as cut-resistant gloves, if you have a pair.

You can add a variety of vegetables and/or spices for different flavors and textures. Since pesto is mixed into this recipe, adding some spinach is a good tweak because it is leafy and green like the basil in pesto and it adds some more nutrition to the dish. If you prefer a sun-dried tomato pesto, give that a try.

If you are serving this galette over the holidays for guests, try baking one with basil pesto and one with tomato pesto for a beautiful red and green contrast on the dinner table.

Storage & Reheating

Keep the galette refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It can be reheated in the oven at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes or until its warmed all the way through.