Today I’m going to share with you a recipe for Spinach and Feta Galettes, a recipe which I have been making since my school days. This is such an easy recipe that I almost overlooked it. Whilst deceptively simple, it is ideal as an appetiser, a light meal or perfect to serve at brunch.
Whilst this savoury vegetable tart is ideal for vegetarians, the robust flavours make it suitable for almost everyone. In fact, Galettes can be enjoyed by many people with specific dietary requirements. The recipe can be adjusted for vegans; vegan puff pastry is available in most supermarkets and the toppings adjusted accordingly. Further, for those who require a gluten-free diet, a suitable pastry is also available at most supermarkets. In this instance, the toppings 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?
A Galette is a rustic, free-form tart which can be either sweet or savoury. They are no-fuss pastries, ideal for novice and experienced bakers alike.
A Galette is, in fact, similar to a Crostata; the Galette is French and the Crostata Italian.
They are each free-form, rustic tarts, in which the edges fold up around the filling. Thin discs of pastry with sweet or savoury toppings are baked on a baking tray instead of in a pie or tart pan. They are ideal to customise; there are no rules and there is no limit to what you can use. Simply top the pastry with ingredients of your choice.
Galettes are frequently made in a circle from home-made, flaky, pie dough. I confess to taking a shortcut here; for ease of preparation, I use commercial, frozen, all butter puff pastry. The puff pastry that I use comes in a square sheet so to avoid wastage my Galettes are not round, they are square.
With puff pastry in the freezer, I am never far away from a quickly prepared meal.
How to make Spinach and Feta Galettes:
You will need a little advance preparation as you need to defrost both the puff pastry and the spinach. Ideally, I will defrost the required number of pastry sheets in the refrigerator but if I’m short of time I defrost the pastry on the kitchen bench. It is, however, essential that the pastry not become warm, it must stay chilled. I also defrost the spinach and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Then, I add the spinach and some freshly grated parmesan to a medium size bowl. I crumble the feta into the bowl and season with freshly ground black pepper. I don’t add salt; the feta and parmesan contain sufficient salt. 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 return it to the refrigerator. If left at room temperature too long the butter in the pastry will start to soften and melt. To obtain the pockets of air which give the pastry a much-desired flakiness it is essential to keep the pastry cold.
To begin, I cut the pastry squares into 4 pieces and place them on a baking tray which I line with non-stick baking paper. It is easier to assemble the tarts whilst they are on the tray than to move them after they have been assembled. I add the topping to the pastry, distributing the ingredients evenly, then top them with a slice of tomato. These Spinach and Feta Galettes are now ready to bake to golden crispiness.
You could, if you prefer, make one large Galette and cut into slices for serving or you could make mini Galettes to serve with drinks.
Tips for success with Galettes:
There would 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 successful outcome.
Firstly, the most important point to remember when working with puff pastry is to keep it chilled. If the pastry becomes warm the butter it contains will begin to soften and melt. This will mean that the pastry will become sticky, almost impossible to work with and may result in the pastry not holding its shape whilst baking. Pastry which becomes warm will not produce the crispy, light airiness which makes puff pastry so irresistible. If it defrosts and you are not ready to immediately use it place the pastry in the refrigerator until ready.
Further, it is important that your topping is not too damp. This is why it is important to squeeze out as much of the spinach liquid as possible. A damp topping will mean 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 you will need to exercise some restraint. Some ingredients for Galettes will be raw, such as the tomato in this recipe, and they will need time to properly cook.
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:
After making numerous Galettes, I remain a huge fan of this rustic tart. If you have not previously tried making a savoury Galette I encourage you to try this recipe. Serve your Galette with a good salad, a bottle of wine and settle back and 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!
And how 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.
Please let me know in the comments below if you try my Spinach and Feta Galettes.
Alex xx
Spinach and Feta Galettes
Recipe Measurements:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results.
Ingredients
- 3 sheets of frozen butter puff pastry * 22 ½ cm/9” square
- 500 g frozen spinach defrosted, excess water drained
- 2 large tomatoes
- 300 g feta cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 egg beaten, for glazing
Instructions
- If time permits, defrost the pastry in the refrigerator. However, this is not always suitable so you can defrost the pastry on the kitchen bench if necessary. Just ensure that the pastry remains chilled. Return it to the refrigerator if the pastry defrosts before you are ready to add the topping.
- Preheat your oven to 200 Degrees C (390 F).
- Defrost the frozen spinach. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Crumble the feta.
- Mix the spinach and feta together in a bowl. Add the Parmesan and season with pepper to taste.
- Line two trays with baking paper. Cut your pastry into squares that are approximately 12.5cm/5 ".It is easier to assemble pastries on the baking tray.
- Distribute the topping evenly on the puff pastry squares.
- Flatten the topping slightly, ensuring you leave a border of approximately 1cm.
- Top each pastry with a slice of tomato. Season the tomato with pepper.
- Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg.
- Fold over the sides of the pastry. Brush the sides with more beaten egg.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden on the top and bottom of the pastry. Enjoy straight away hot, or cool down and reheat later. They are also delicious at room temperature.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Effy
Can you recommend a substitute for the tomato on top? My son is not a fan!!
Alexandra
Hi Effy!
You could add some red pepper/capsicum instead perhaps? (Raw or roasted, depending on your preference)
Kind regards, Alex
TC
Hi Alex!
Your Galettes look scrumptious.
I was immediately moved to use a modified bruschetta or Salsa topping.
Is this doable?
Alexandra
Hi TC,
You can certainly alter the topping to your liking!
Are you still thinking of using the spinach and feta base? You might like to cook that first and then top with the salsa. (So too much liquid doesn’t make the pastry soggy.)
Kind regards, Alex
Jane
Hi. This recipe for spinach feta galettes looks delicious. I would like to make the day before and reheat, has anyone done this?
Alexandra
Hi Jane,
Yes, this works fine. Ensure they have cooled completely before storing – I like to keep them in an air tight container in the fridge, and put a little bit of baking paper in between so they don’t stick together. Enjoy!
Joanne Roach
can you cook and freeze for functions?
Alexandra
Hi Joanne, yes, you can freeze the Spinach and Feta Galettes. I suggest that you freeze them either individually wrapped well in cling wrap, or in a single layer, before transferring them to an airtight freezer-safe container. Otherwise, they may stick together. You could freeze them for up to 3 months. Just bring them to room temperature and then reheat for about 10-15 minutes. Kind regards, Alex 🙂
Concetta
Can I use fresh spinach?
Alexandra
Absolutely! We recommend about 1 1/2-2 cups of chopped fresh spinach per sheet of puff pastry. So this would work out to 5-6 cups if you made the full recipe. If using fresh spinach, I sometimes like to cook it down a little bit and allow it to cool before adding to the galettes – but this is an optional step.
Fiona
Very delicious and easy to make. We add some fresh chilli when serving.
Alexandra
Thank you, Fiona! I can never resist some chilli either 🙂
Anatara
Fantastic recipe, one of my go to staples when i want a gourmet looking brunch, or easy dinner (teams up great with a pasta salad!),
Super versatile! So tasty eaten hot right out of the oven or cold …my kids love these for school lunches, and they work great for picnics and bbqs too 🙂
Alexandra
Thank you so much!
I am so pleased that the whole family have been enjoying them. They are a favourite in our household too.
I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know! Thanks, Alex 🙂
Louise
So easy! Served for dinner with a green salad. Yum!
Alexandra
Sounds delicious, Louise – thank you!
Julia
I am loving these little spinach galettes! So easy a quickly made. We were making them through the whole summer and the whole family love them 🙂
Alexandra
Thank you so much, Julia!! I am so happy they’re so popular with the family 🙂
Annissa
I love feta and spinach together. This is an easy, but elegant meal.
Alexandra
Thank you so much 🙂
Ken Easterling
I may be a little dumb when I come upon a new recipe, especially if it is from another nation. However, The recipe states “butter puff pastry * 22 ½ cm/9” square”. But in the ingredients it states” Cut your pastry into squares that are approximately 12.5cm/5″.” So, I am unsure which it should be. 12.5cm is 5 inches, and 22.5cm is 9 inches by my calculations.
Alexandra
Hello Ken!
Sorry for the confusion – we have a certain common size of puff pastry sheet here, which is the first size, and the second is what we cut the sheet into. Will make a note to update this with a little more information to make it clearer 🙂
Ken Easterling
I forgot to mention we used whateverver amount fit, my wife did the cutting. These were so good. I love spinach and feta together. We make Spanakopita often but that is a lot of work. These Galettes are way less time consuming and taste great! Thank you for the recipe.
Alexandra
I am so glad to hear you enjoyed them! That is great to hear, Ken 🙂
Jere Cassidy
As soon as I saw your photos I new I had to make these galettes. I love make fruit galettes but have never make savory ones and these are so easy to make and definatly delicious.
Alexandra
I am so pleased you enjoyed them, Jere!
Anita
This recipe is super easy and the galettes look impressive. Our breakfast looks like something out of a fancy cafe. 🙂
Alexandra
You are so kind, Anita – thank you so much!
Janelle • Plant Based Folk
These made the ideal lunch. We had them with a salad and (sans fetta) they were demolished
Alexandra
I am SO happy you enjoyed them and were able to make them suitable for your dietary needs x
Melinda
My teenage son is hooked on this and has asked me to make this every week haha! We now keep extra puff pastry in the freezer just for this reason. This is such a versatile recipe, I’ve even topped it with a bit of leftover pesto and it’s delicious!
Alexandra
Hi Melinda, I am so pleased that your son enjoys the Spinach and Feta Galettes.Topping it with some pesto is a great idea. 🙂
Carol
It was easier to make than I thought. They were good ! I’ll make them again. Thanks, Alex, for the extra help.
Alexandra
Hi Carol, I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Spinach and Feta Galettes, thank you so much for letting me know. 🙂
Jaimie
Yum, what an elegant dish but also so simple!
Alexandra
Thank you, Jaimie!
Kat
They are absolutely delicious!
Alexandra
Thank you Kat!
Jaimie
Brunch was sorted today – thank you so much!
Alexandra
Thank you for the great comment Jaimie, please let me know how you enjoy the galettes. 🙂