Savory Galette with Leeks & Kale. A free-formed flakey crust enclosing a luscious creamy filling. Leeks and kale marry with gruyere and mascarpone making the perfect balance of decadent and wholesome! With a Video!
True happiness has nothing to do with making everything perfect, or denying the imperfections of things. It’s often the imperfections that make something or someone so lovable, so beautiful, so memorable, and even so forgivable.
Jeff Foster
There is so much flavor bursting from this Savory Galette. A flaky tender crust made with a bit of earthy rye flour, perfectly complimented with creamy leek and kale filling with just the right amount of tang. The crust is made with “rough puff” pastry dough, a galette dough you’ll want to keep in your back pocket for down the road, and your own creative fillings.
What I love about this galette dough, is that it comes together much faster than traditional puff pastry, yet it is still flaky and tender. You can make it a couple of days ahead for less prep time and even keep some in the freezer for spontaneous inspiration. Alternatively, it is also totally fine to use pre-made puff pastry dough!
While it may look as though there are a lot of steps here, it all comes together fairly easily, especially if you make the rough puff dough a day or two ahead. It is so worth the effort! And once you get the hang of it, it is fun to make. This is a much-requested special occasion dish in our house.
Why You’ll Love This
- Flavor & texture! Savory and tangy flavor with creamy filling and a flaky, tender crust.
- Easy-to-make, delicious dough. The “rough puff” dough is quick and easy!
- Simple and fun to prepare. Comes together easily and is very rewarding!
- Perfect for special occasions! An impressive, flavorful dish to bring to parties and holidays.
- Spring flavor! Use fresh, seasonal kale and leeks for a taste of spring!
Ingredients
- Kale: Lacinato works perfectly for this, or use curly kale, or even swiss chard.
- Leeks and garlic: Add aromatic, savory depth. Be sure to clean the leeks well!
- Fresh herbs: Sage and parsley leaves add earthy, herbal flavor. A garnish of fresh thyme is lovely too.
- Eggs: 2 eggs for the galette and 1 for the egg wash.
- Anchovy paste: Optional, or you can sub white miso paste.
- Dijon mustard and lemon juice give the galette a distinct tangy flavor.
- Cheese: Comte, Gruyere, or Emmental cheese, grated by hand. You will also need mascarpone.
- Flours: All purpose flour and rye or wheat flour. The dough must be chilled before using!
- Unsalted butter: Cut and very cold!
- Sugar: Gives the dough subtle sweetness, which complements the savory galette perfectly.
- Vinegar: Use white or apple cider vinegar.
What is Rough Puff Pastry?
It is a faster variation of a classic puff pastry dough (think croissants). Traditional puff pastry consists of laminating one big block of butter between the dough, which is a process that takes several hours of rolling, refrigerating, and patience. Ruff Puff gets its flaky layers by using large chunks of butter in the dough. Instead of rolling out by hand, we let the food processor do some of the work of incorporating the butter into the dough. Though it is not quite as delicate as a traditional puff pastry, it still yields a flaky dough in significantly less time. Thirty minutes of hands-on time will have you on your way to a lovely tender pastry crust.
Why should I make Galette Dough?
- It is not as difficult as you may think and it will elevate the overall dish.
- It makes a perfectly flaky crust for tarts, galettes, and other delicacies.
- You can make it a few days ahead of time, making prep time easier. It also freezes well! Store for up to a month in the freezer.
How to make Galette Dough
Step 1: Pulse. Add chilled flours, sugar, and salt to food processor and mix.
Step 2: Add chilled butter and pulse 3-4 times until butter is pinto bean-sized. Transfer mixture to a cold bowl and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Add vinegar and ice water. Remove bowl from the fridge and add vinegar and ice water. Vinegar helps tenderize the dough by inhibiting gluten development and keeps the dough from oxidizing and turning gray. Gently mix until distributed, just a couple of stirs. VERY important not to over mix. It will be craggy with some dry flour bits.
Step 4: Prep dough. Dump dough onto parchment or plastic wrap.
Form dough together into a 4 x 4-inch square. Wrap and place in the fridge for 45 minutes. During the time the flour will begin to hydrate.
Step 5: Roll out and fold. Roll the dough into a rectangle, approximately 5 x 11 inches. Let it be cracky and rough.
Fold the pastry in thirds widthwise (like a business letter), resulting in 3 layers of dough.
Square up the sides and ends with a bench scraper by just lightly tapping in.
Step 6: Turn and repeat. Turn the short end toward you and repeat the step above two more times.
Step 7: Refrigerate. After the third turn, fold the dough in half and place in the fridge for 1 hour or up to 3 days. Or freeze for 1 month!
Step 8: Rest. When ready to use, let the dough rest at room temp for 20 minutes before rolling out.
How to roll out Galette Dough (Simplified!)
- Roll: Roll the dough out to a 5 x 11-inch rectangle.
- Fold: Letter fold the dough.
- Repeat: Turn short side toward you and repeat this 2 more times.
How to make Savory Leek Galette
Preheat oven to 425F. If using a pizza stone or cast iron pan, place in the oven.
Step 1: Sauté. Warm oil in a large skillet over medium, adding kale, garlic, and leeks with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Sauté 8 minutes, then turn off heat and cover with lid for 5-10 minutes until tender. Add sage and parsley.
Step 2: Mix eggs, anchovy paste, dijon, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Step 3: Roll dough. Roll out the dough on parchment paper to 1/8-inch thick in an approximate 14-inch circle. Trim edges with a sharp knife to allow them to puff up.
Step 4: Add mascarpone. Spread mascarpone onto the circle, leaving an empty 2-inch border.
Step 5: Add filling and cheese. Lay the filling and grated gruyere on top of the mascarpone.
Step 6: Add egg wash. Whisk together the large egg and water to create a wash and brush the outside 2 inches of the dough.
Step 7: Fold. Fold the outer 2 inches of dough in over the filling, overlapping dough every 2-3 inches, gently pinching to secure. Be careful not to press into the filling—no need to be too fussy it’ll puff up when it bakes losing a lot of the definition.
Step 8: Add seasoned egg mixture by pouring over top of the filling. Brush the top of the crust with additional egg wash.
Step 9: Transfer to stone, cast iron, or baking sheet. Lift the parchment and galette to carefully transfer. Sliding onto a pizza peel or cutting board can help.
Step 10: Bake. Bake 10 minutes, then turn heat to 375F and bake 25-35 minutes. When it comes out it will be puffed up and gloriously fragrant and golden brown! Cool 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Ways to Enjoy This Savory Galette
As a main course, serve the savory galette like quiche for brunch or lunch with a hearty leafy green salad, like Little Gem Salad or Spring Greens. Also makes a lovely appetizer!
Expert Tips
- Make the puff pastry in advance: Freeze rough puff pastry dough up to one month, thawing completely before using.
- For a better bottom crust: Bake on a pre-heated pizza stone or pre-heated cast iron pan.
- To garnish with leek rounds: Brush thin slices of leeks with oil and sear for about 4-5 minutes on a hot pan. Gently remove with a metal spatula and arrange on top of baked galette.
- Switch up the toppings: Make a mushroom galette with mixed mushrooms, or craft your own delicious savory galette using caramelized onions, peas, or small broccoli florets! For the fall, make a butternut squash galette. For summer use fresh tomatoes and spinach!
- Try it with different cheeses: Anything goes here! Top with crumbled feta cheese and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Instead of mascarpone, try ricotta cheese.
FAQs
Pies are prepared and baked in a slope-sided baking dish with pie crust or pie dough, whereas galettes are totally free form and rustic! Galettes can be considered a sort of free-form pie.
In order to get a perfectly crisp bottom, place a pizza stone or cast iron in the oven while it preheats. Transfer the galette on parchment to this preheated surface. This isn’t essential, but can help ensure the bottom stays nice and crisp.
You can serve this Savory Galette warm or at room temperature, whichever you prefer!
Meal Prep & Storage
You can prep the rough puff dough in advance, freezing it for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
This galette is best enjoyed right away, however you can store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a 350F until warm all the way through.
More recipes you may enjoy
Hope you enjoy this Savory Galette recipe! Let us know what you think in the comments below and show us your beautiful galettes on Instagram.
xoxo
Savory Leek Galette | Video!
Savory Leek Galette
- Prep Time: 140 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: main, vegetarian,
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: European
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A free-formed tender flakey crust enclosing a luscious melt in your mouth succulent filling. Leeks and kale marry with gruyere and rich mascarpone making the perfect balance of decadent and wholesome!
Ingredients
Rough Puff Pastry Dough:
- 1 1/4 cups, 145 grams, all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup, 26 grams, rye or wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut and chilled
- 7 tablespoons ice water
- 1 teaspoon vinegar (white or apple cider)
Leek and Kale Filling
- 1 bunch kale, about 4 oz, ribboned and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
- 3 medium leeks, cleaned and chopped into 1/4 inch half moons
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional can sub miso paste)
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup 3-4 oz Comte or Gruyere or Emmental cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup mascarpone
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
Rough Puff Pastry Dough (allow 2 1/2 hours, can be made ahead)
- Pulse flours, sugar, and salt in food processor to mix.
- Add chilled butter pieces. Pulse 3-4 times until butter is still the size of pinto beans. Dump mixture out into a bowl. Place the bowl in the fridge for about 15 minutes to get it cold.
- Remove from fridge. Add vinegar and the ice water. Gently, carefully mix the dough just until it seems well distributed. It will be very craggy and may have dry flour bits.
- Dump the dough onto a piece of parchment or plastic wrap. Form dough together, as best as you can, into about a 4 x 4-inch square. Wrap up and place in the fridge for 45 minutes.
- Roll out into a rectangle approximately 5 x 11. Fold the pastry in thirds widthwise, like a business letter, resulting in 3 layers of dough.
- Turn the short end toward you and repeat step 6 two more times.
- After the third turn fold the dough in half. Refrigerate for one hour or up to 3 days.
- Rest the dough for 20 minutes at room temperature before rolling out.
Leek and Kale Filling and Galette Assembly
- Set oven to 425 degrees. If using a pizza stone or cast iron pan, place in the oven now while preheating.
- Saute’ kale, garlic and leeks in olive oil with the 1/4 teaspoon of salt over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Turn off heat and cover with a lid for 5-10 more minutes until tender. Add sage and parsley. Set aside.
- Meanwhile in another bowl combine eggs, anchovy paste, dijon, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.
- Roll out dough on a piece of parchment to 1/8 of an inch thick and in an approximate 14″ circle. Trim the edges of the dough with a sharp knife to allow them to puff up.
- Spread mascarpone cheese on the rolled out circle, all but the outer 2 inches.
- Lay filling and grated gruyere cheese on top of the mascarpone.
- Whisk together egg wash. Brush the outside 2 inches of dough with the wash.
- Fold the outer 2 inches of dough in over the filling, overlapping dough every 2-3 inches gently pinching just enough to secure.
- Pour the seasoned beaten egg mixture evenly over the filling.
- Brush top of the crust with egg wash.
- Carefully transfer, lifting the parchment and galette onto the stone, cast iron or baking sheet. Sliding onto a pizza peel or cutting board can help with the transfer.
- Bake 10 minutes then turn oven down to 375 and bake another 25-35 minutes until puffed and the crust is golden. Cool 20 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Freeze rough puff pastry dough up to one month, thawing completely before using. Letting it sit in the fridge over night works great.
For a better bottom crust, bake on a pre-heated pizza stone or pre-heated cast iron pan.
To garnish with leek rounds; brush thin slices of leeks with oil and sear for about 4-5 minutes on a hot pan. Gently remove with a metal spatula and arrange on top of baked galette.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 pieces
- Calories: 477
- Sugar: 3.5 g
- Sodium: 650.7 mg
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated Fat: 21.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.7 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 143.8 mg
Could you use frozen puff pastry for this. I know better with the homemade. But if you were in a pinch?
Yes, for sure Colleen!
I feel this is the best dish I ever made. Srsly amazing food! Crust was flaky and divine. Filling was fantastic tho I did sub spinach and arugula instead of kale. No anchovy paste either.
So happy you enjoyed this Leslie!
Love this recipe. I made it a couple of times last year when first published and my immediate family loved it. I’m planning a big weekend party and was wondering if I could make components ahead of time and compose it more like a tubular stromboli? it wouldn’t be as pretty but I could slice up as an app and it might go farther (26 people for 5 days). I’m looking for good ideas for make ahead apps, meals etc. for big crowds, while still keeping it yummy and somewhat healthy. Would love your thoughts on this or any other?
Big fan for years and so happy there is now a recipe box! I can retire my yellow Sylvia file folder.
I love this idea Diana. I would think you could make the filling a day or two ahead, I might still keep the egg mixture and the grated cheese separate and then fold them together just before covering with the dough. I would be concerned that the interior dough would not bake fully, I wouldn’t make too much of a spiraled roll. An extra egg could help hold the filling all together. Let us know how it works!
Thanks for the recipe. Couldn’t find kale so used broccoli instead and added some smoked salmon as well. Turned out very well, there was just a little too much filling (I guess that was the broccoli’s fault).
Sounds good Mirkku!
Made this for dinner and it was totally amazing. I nearly doubled the amount of filling (the stirred fried greens part) just because I had the ingredients, but everything still fit with the same amount of pie crust dough – it was just that the edges didn’t fold over as much as a result which I was ok with. I also used collard and chard instead of kale because that’s what I had. A 12-in cast iron pan was perfect for the job.
Awesome Bowie!
Made this and it was a huge hit. Is it possible to assemble in advance and refrigerate for a day before putting into the oven? I am hoping to serve on Christmas Eve but the work today.
Hi Jackie, Not having tried making ahead of time, I would put it all together excluding the egg mixture and store in the fridge and then pour the egg mixture over just before baking.
Thank you very much. I am so excited to share this with the family. Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays Jackie!
Well, I’ll try the crust again, heating the pan first. It could be my oven too, which does not always cook anywhere near the temperature it says. I think I have an oven thermometer buried somewhere! Most things I cook are just not that critical temperature wise. Thanks for your advice!
Yes, good idea to check the oven temp!
I sent my husband to the store for gruyere and he came back with gorgonzola. I thought a cup of that would be way too strong, so I used 1/4 c of the gorgonzola and supplemented with 3/4 c mozzarella. It ended up with a hint of blue cheese flavor. I noticed the mascarpone, which I’ve never had before, is an extremely bland cheese (and at my store, I had to buy a pint). Would substituting regular cream cheese work or would it melt too easily?
It took longer than the recommended time for the pastry to brown at all, and the total “puffing” was minimal. Did I do something wrong? I did cut the edges with a sharp knife as recommended. The extra 10 min or so to brown at all meant the filling was a little overcooked. However, it all still tasted good.
Hi Marijke, Cream cheese would work! Mascarpone is smoother and richer ( often used in Italian desserts like tiramisu). Cream cheese will add a nice tang, it is a good replacement!
Did you use the egg wash on the crust? Not over working the dough in the initial mixing and keeping the butter chunks bigger, bean size, helps create more raised dough layers. Also were you able to bake on a preheated pan or pizza stone?
I make a lot of pies (used to sell them to a health food restaurant), so I don’t think I overworked the dough, and the butter size seemed reasonable; I could try making them larger. Yes to the egg wash. I did not use a preheated pan though (I was making something else at the same time and didn’t realize until that one was ready that the preheated pan went for this!). I baked it on the parchment paper which I put in a cast iron skillet into the oven.
mmmm…I love pie and that you are so experienced! I am sorry, I’m not sure what happened with your pastry crust. Next time you could play around with your own pie crust making it more of a galette? or small tart?
We don’t currently have a food processor while living abroad. (We’re military and only here for a few years and I didn’t want to replace my whole kitchen.) Can I use a pastry cutter to make the dough? I’d love to use my starter for this.
Yes Elsa, use a pastry cutter! You mean your sourdough starter? I have not played around with that but maybe you could use a tablespoon mixed in with the water? It would give lovely flavor but not sure if it would effect the texture.
Just made this and absolutely loved it, the pastry was so lovely and flakey and a wonderful filling….. will make again many times now I know how to do it! Thank you for your recipes – I look forward to looking thru the new ones each Saturday!
Wonderful Jane! So lovely to hear! Good job learning something new.
Hello Sylvia,
I making this tonight for dinner and don’t think I’ll have time to make the dough. Please let me know if I can use store bought puff pastry as a substitute. If so would I use two sheets?
Thanks Wendy
Hi Wendy, Yes for sure use store bought! Just one sheet.
Thanks
Thanks Tonia,
With the puff pastry would it be best to make it on a pizza stone or in my pan?
I think the pizza stone would give a better crust.
Help! I’m very confused by your flour measurements for the puff pastry. I use weights for all of my baking. According to the weights used at the King Arthur Baking Company (my gold standard for all things baking) white flour weighs 4.25 oz.(120 gm)/cup and rye weighs 3 5/8 oz.(103 gm)/cup. That comes out to almost 1 1/2 cups of white and 3/4 cup of rye.
That’s significantly different from the volume measurements given in your recipe, especially for the rye. Which is it?
Oh dear! Sorry about that. I adjusted it on the recipe.
Thanks Tonia! I went ahead and made it using a different rye crust recipe and leeks, kale and garlic fresh from my garden as well as eggs from our chickens. It’s fabulous! Great flavors. My family loved it. Can’t wait to make it again using the provided crust recipe now that the confusion has been resolved! 😊
Oh good! Love it with all your garden goodies and fresh eggs, doesn’t get much better then that!
I have made this recipe as written and then with frozen puff pastry. Both were delish! For me, I am not sure the extra time/work of making the rough puff makes enough of a difference but it was fun to do it once? I LOVE the filling!!! Sometimes I add a little bit of minced preserved lemon for an extra flavor punch. Thanks for another great recipe.
Preserved lemon sounds delicious! Glad you are enjoying.
Made the Leek and Kale Galette last night for dinner not only was it easy and enjoyable to make but it tasted absolutely delicious … the whole family enjoyed it.
I served it with the Arugula Basil and Blackberry salad which was also amazing … not a thing left on anyone’s plate ! I’m loving your blog … thank you !
This makes us so happy! Easy, enjoyable, and delicious is definitely what we are going for!
This was a HIT at brunch! So tasty. I can’t wait to make this one again.
Great to hear Liz!
This was a HIT at brunch! So tasty. I can’t wait to make this one again.
Fantastic!!! One of our favorites. Wonderful for a Sunday Brunch with cool watermelon salad!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed. Sounds like a lovely paring!
I am so impressed w the crust! I have made puff pastry and it’s so labor and time consuming I always just buy frozen. This crust is awesome! I made the recipe as written except I added thin slices of potato into the kale/leek mixture while it rested off heat
Great!
yay! I love hearing this. So happy it worked for you!
For a vegan version, what can I use instead of mascarpone?
vegan sour cream?
Tasty flavor combination! I made this today and changed the crust recipe to work entirely with whole wheat einkorn flour. Will definitely make again.
oh that’s great! I love einkorn flour.
Have made this twice now with a frozen, gluten free pie crust, and although it’s a bit of a stretch from the original galette recipe, it is still incredibly flavorful and delicious. Great for leftovers as well, since the recipe is enough for 2 pies.
It looks delicious. Would gluten-free free flour work with this recipe and if so can you recommend one?
Should it be garbanzo, rice or potato based?
I should think so? I haven’t tried it though. I may stick to a gluten-free flour blend. Let us know what you try!
I used Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (Bob’s Red Mill), mixed with 1/4 cup of cornmeal and it turned out very well. Will definitely make it again. Thank you
Thanks Kit, that is great to know!
I made this today and WOW!
It turned out so delicious.
Thank you so much for this amazing blog that you are sharing. Really appreciate you.
yay! thanks so much Sienna.
I made this yesterday with readymade vegan puff and it’s delicious! I was pretty careless and it still turned out great—I didn’t notice the miso wasn’t mixed into the egg mixture until I’d poured it out, and 1/4 of the egg liquid also dripped out of the galette.
oh great! glad you liked it in spite of the mishaps!
Looks easy and delicious! The pictures make me drool!