Spinach and Feta Galettes

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