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.
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).
In this recipe, the thinly sliced potatoes are arranged and layered into a circle, adding to the rustic qualities of a classic galette.
Step 1: Prep Galette Ingredients
Galette ingredients consist of a basic pastry and a filling.
For the Pastry:
- 1 ⅓ cups AP flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ cup cold butter – cut into cubes
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. cold water
For the Filling:
- 2 medium potatoes – peeled (about 14 oz./400 g)
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- Parmesan cheese – grated
- Salt and pepper – to taste
Step 2: Begin Making the Pastry Dough
In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt.
Step 3: Add Butter
Add the cubes of butter and cut them into the flour with a fork or your fingers until coarse.
Step 4: Add Egg & Water to Form a Ball
Add the egg and 2 tbsp. cold water and work the mixture together just until it forms a ball (you can add 1 more tbsp. cold water if needed). Flatten into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 5: 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 6: Mix Potatoes With Pesto
Mix sliced potatoes in a bowl with pesto sauce. Every slice should be coated with the sauce. Set aside.
Step 7: Roll the Dough Out
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 8: Add the Filling
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 9: Fold the Pastry Edges Over the Potatoes
Fold the dough border up around the edges to partially enclose the potato filling. The center will remain open.
Step 10: Bake the Potato Galette
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 11: Serve!
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.
Let us know what you thought of this potato galette in the comments and please share the recipe!
Potato Galette
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ cup cold butter - cut into cubes
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. cold water
For the Filling:
- 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes (about 14 oz./400 g) - peeled
- ½ cup basil pesto
- Parmesan cheese - grated
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt.1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour, ½ tsp. salt
- Add the cubes of butter and cut them into the flour with a fork or your fingers until coarse.½ cup cold butter
- Add the egg and 2 tbsp. cold water and work the mixture together just until it forms a ball (you can add 1 more tbsp. cold water if needed). Flatten into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- 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.2 medium Yukon gold potatoes (about 14 oz./400 g)
- Mix sliced potatoes in a bowl with pesto sauce. Every slice should be coated with the sauce. Set aside.½ cup basil pesto
- 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.
- 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.
- Fold the dough border up around the edges to partially enclose the potato filling. The center will remain open.
- 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.
- Sprinkle with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Slice and serve.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
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