Spinach and Feta Galettes (2024)

TodayI’m going to share with you a recipe for Spinach and Feta Galettes, a recipewhich I have been making since my school days. This is such an easy recipe thatI almost overlooked it. Whilst deceptively simple, it is ideal as an appetiser,a light meal or perfect to serve at brunch.

Whilstthis savoury vegetable tart is ideal for vegetarians, the robust flavours makeit suitable for almost everyone. In fact, Galettes can be enjoyed by manypeople with specific dietary requirements. The recipe can be adjusted forvegans; vegan puff pastry is available in most supermarkets and the toppingsadjusted accordingly. Further, for those who require a gluten-free diet, asuitable pastry is also available at most supermarkets. In this instance, thetoppings would be suitable.

Another great advantage of these Spinach and Feta Galettes?

You are able to prepare all the components ahead of time and then assemble the pastries when ready to bake.

It is a recipe which is perfect for entertaining; it is a breeze to put together, taking just minutes to prepare.

What is a Galette?

AGalette is a rustic, free-form tart which can be either sweet or savoury. Theyare no-fuss pastries, ideal for novice and experienced bakers alike.

AGalette is, in fact, similar to a Crostata; the Galette is French and theCrostata Italian.

They are each free-form, rustic tarts, in which the edges foldup around the filling. Thin discs of pastry with sweet or savoury toppings arebaked on a baking tray instead of in a pie or tart pan. They areideal to customise; there are no rules and there is no limit to what you canuse. Simply top the pastry with ingredients of your choice.

Galettesare frequently made in a circle from home-made, flaky, pie dough. I confess totaking a shortcut here; for ease of preparation, I use commercial, frozen, allbutter puff pastry. The puff pastry that I use comes in a square sheet soto avoid wastage my Galettes are not round, they are square.

Withpuff pastry in the freezer, I am never far away from a quickly prepared meal.

How to make Spinach and Feta Galettes:

Youwill need a little advance preparation as you need to defrost both the puffpastry and the spinach. Ideally, I will defrost the required number of pastrysheets in the refrigerator but if I’m short of time I defrost the pastry on thekitchen bench. It is, however, essential that the pastry not become warm, itmust stay chilled. I also defrost the spinach and squeeze out as much moistureas possible. Then, I add the spinach and some freshly grated parmesan to amedium size bowl. I crumble the feta into the bowl and season with freshlyground black pepper. I don’t add salt; the feta and parmesan contain sufficientsalt. The topping is now ready to add to the pastry.

Meanwhile,if the pastry has defrosted and I’m not ready to immediately use it, I returnit to the refrigerator. If left at room temperature too long the butter in thepastry will start to soften and melt. To obtain the pockets of air which givethe pastry a much-desired flakiness it is essential to keep the pastry cold.

Tobegin, I cut the pastry squares into 4 pieces and place them on a baking traywhich I line with non-stick baking paper. It is easier to assemble the tartswhilst they are on the tray than to move them after they have been assembled. Iadd the topping to the pastry, distributing the ingredients evenly, then topthem with a slice of tomato. These Spinach and Feta Galettes are now ready tobake to golden crispiness.

Youcould, if you prefer, make one large Galette and cut into slices for serving oryou could make mini Galettes to serve with drinks.

Tips for success with Galettes:

Therewould be few baking projects simpler or easier than the low-stress Galette.However, there are a few things to bear in mind for the most successfuloutcome.

Firstly,the most important point to remember when working with puff pastry is to keepit chilled. If the pastry becomes warm the butter it contains will begin tosoften and melt. This will mean that the pastry will become sticky, almostimpossible to work with and may result in the pastry not holding its shapewhilst baking. Pastry which becomes warm will not produce the crispy, lightairiness which makes puff pastry so irresistible. If it defrosts and you arenot ready to immediately use it place the pastry in the refrigerator untilready.

Further,it is important that your topping is not too damp. This is why it is importantto squeeze out as much of the spinach liquid as possible. A damp topping willmean pastry with a soggy bottom – and nobody wants that!

For instance, if you are making a sweet Galette ensure that the fruit you choose will not release too much juice. Apples, for instance, are ideal, cut in very thin slices. If you are not sure of the moisture content of the fruit you can crumble some cookies onto the pastry before adding the fruit. I like to use some of my Amaretti Cookies. They add texture, flavour and help to soak up the fruit juices.

Additionally,a Galette, unlike some tarts and pies, is not piled high with toppings so youwill need to exercise some restraint. Some ingredients for Galettes will beraw, such as the tomato in this recipe, and they will need time to properlycook.

However, bear in mind that a Galette is far more forgiving than a traditional tart or pie.

The fact that a Galette is a rustic preparation means that flaws are almost an advantage.

The reason to try Spinach and Feta Galettes:

Aftermaking numerous Galettes, I remain a huge fan of this rustic tart. If you havenot previously tried making a savoury Galette I encourage you to try thisrecipe. Serve your Galette with a good salad, a bottle of wine and settle backand enjoy your easily prepared meal.

And for easy entertaining, these Spinach and Feta Galettes are ideal.

The fact that they can be made in advance is a definite plus. You just need to warm them before serving.

Once you try them you will understand the virtues of savoury Galettes and there will be no holding back your creative streak as you imagine the many ways to top the puff pastry.

More uses for these ingredients:

Puff Pastry is also used in these recipes:

• Bacon and Egg Galettes
• Mini Plum Tartlets
• Bacon and Onion Tarts
• Blue Cheese Puff Pastry Tarts
• Tuna Puff Pastry Pin Wheels
• Pepperoni Pastries

My friend Sylvie from The Foodie Journey makes another delicious Tomato Galette with Basil Whipped Feta – divine!

Andhow fantastic is it that they are meant to be rustic and not picture-perfect?It’s almost too good to be true for the busy home cook.