Buckwheat Pancakes (Galettes de sarrasin)
Savoury thin buckwheat pancakes from Brittany and Normandy. Easy recipe and gluten free made with 100% buckwheat flour. Serve with any of the classic French toppings (e.g. cheese, ham, egg, mushrooms) or of your choice. See notes for a mix using plain flour.
Equipment
- crêpe pan
Ingredients
- 500 g (17.5oz/ 4 cups) buckwheat flour (farine de sarrasin) See NOTES
- 1 litre (34 floz/4.2 cups) water
- 1 egg organic/free-range (see NOTES)
- 10 g (2 tsp) sea salt fleur de sel (Maldon, Celtic)
- 30 g (1oz/ 2 tbsp) salted butter
Instructions
- In a large bowl, make a well in the buckwheat flour. Whisk in the fresh egg, the salt and gradually add the water until well blended and smooth.Leave the batter to rest for at least 2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
- When the batter is ready at room temperature, mix well and heat the pan.
- Melt a little of the butter in a hot crêpe pan. Use about half a ladle of batter for each galette, quickly moving the pan to ensure a very thin layer coats all the surface. Leave on medium-high heat for about a couple of minutes then turn over for a minute.Top with a little butter until melted then brush it over evenly. Place on a plate covered with another upturned plate to keep warm and soft until ready to serve with your preferred toppings.
Notes
To Serve: top with a little knob of extra butter and serve with a simple green salad.
Buckwheat/Plain Flour: If you prefer galettes not as dark and strong in flavour, then replace 30% of the buckwheat flour (350g/12oz/3 cups) with plain wheat flour (150g/5oz/1.25 cups). This will not be gluten free.
Vegan version: Omit the egg and replace with a little sparkling water. When ready to cook the galettes, use your favourite vegan oil (e.g. olive oil) in place of the classic butter.
To make a French Complète: place a galette in the hot crêpe pan, crack an egg into the middle, spreading around the white to cover most of the surface. Break up a slice of ham into bits and place with a little grated cheese around the egg yolk. Fold over 4 times into a square to meet the egg yolk in the middle without touching. Add a little extra butter on top.
Yield: makes 12 galettes.
Nutrition: 164 calories per 113g plain galette. Protein 6g, 4g lipids, 27g carbohydrates;