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The "California Complète" Buckwheat Galette

The "California Complète" Buckwheat Galette

Every time I sit at a Parisian café, I order a galette complète. But because my heart lives in California, we're taking that earthy, nutty buckwheat batter and waking it up with West Coast sunshine. We're going to master the simple art of making and resting a flawless batter, then executing the classic square fold right in the pan around melted Comté, a perfectly jammy egg, blistered shallots, and fresh avocado.

Marguerite Lavigne
Marguerite Lavigne
Prep: 35 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
4
medium
breakfastlunch
galettebuckwheateggscafe breakfast+1

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Timeline

43 minutes
0m10m20m30m40m
Whisk Batter
5m
Rest Batter
30m
Blister Vegetables
10m
Cook First Side
Fill and Fold
4m
Garnish Galette

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buckwheat flour(100% buckwheat flour, preferably organic)
  • 1.25 cups water(room temperature)
  • 5 large eggs(1 for the batter, 4 for the galettes)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt(fine sea salt for the batter)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil(extra virgin)
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes(halved)
  • 1 large shallot(thinly sliced)
  • 4 tbsp cultured butter(salted, for greasing the pan)
  • 1 cup Comté cheese(freshly grated (Gruyère works too))
  • 1 large avocado(peeled, pitted, and sliced)
  • 1 lemon(cut into wedges)
  • 1/2 tsp chili flakes(Espelette pepper or standard red chili flakes)
  • 1 pinch flaky sea salt(to taste)
  • 1 egg(mentioned in step 1, but not listed)
  • 1/4 cup Comté cheese(mentioned in step 5, but not listed with this amount)
  • 1/8 tsp chili flakes(mentioned in step 6, but not listed with this amount)

Instructions

  1. 1

    In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together 1 cup buckwheat flour, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1 large egg, and 1.25 cups water until completely smooth. The batter should look quite thin—this is exactly what we want for those crispy, lacy edges.

    5 min

    Tip: Don't overthink the whisking, just make sure there are no dry flour pockets.

  2. 2

    Cover the bowl and let the batter rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

    30 min

    Tip: Do not skip the rest! It hydrates the buckwheat, which makes folding the galette much easier later without tearing.

  3. 3

    While the batter rests, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 large thinly sliced shallot and 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes. Sauté until the tomatoes burst and become wonderfully jammy, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside.

    10 min

    Tip: Let the tomatoes sit undisturbed for a minute or two to get a nice blistered char on the skin.

  4. 4

    Heat a 10-inch crêpe pan or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 1 tbsp cultured butter, swirling to coat the bottom. Pour in about 1/3 cup batter, immediately tilting the pan in a circular motion to spread it thin. Cook until the edges crisp and pull away, about 2 minutes.

    3 min

    Tip: The first galette is always the practice run. Don't stress if it's not perfect!

  5. 5

    Using a spatula, gently flip the galette. Immediately scatter 1/4 cup grated Comté cheese in a ring around the center. Crack 1 large egg into the middle of the cheese ring. Now for the classic technique: fold the four rounded edges of the galette inward to form a square, framing the exposed yolk. Cover the pan with a lid for 2 minutes, just until the egg white is set but the yolk remains beautifully jammy.

    4 min

    Tip: If your egg white is spreading too much, use your spatula to gently nudge it back into the center before folding the edges.

  6. 6

    Slide the folded galette onto a warm plate. Top the exposed egg and corners with a spoonful of the blistered tomatoes and shallots, a quarter of the 1 large sliced avocado, a squeeze of 1 lemon wedge, a pinch of 1/8 tsp chili flakes, and 1 pinch flaky sea salt. Repeat steps 4 through 6 for the remaining three galettes.

    2 min

    Tip: Keep finished galettes in a 200°F oven if you want to serve them all at once.

Chef's Notes

Listen, people get very intimidated by crêpe batter and the whole 'fold' in the pan. Don't be! It's just a pancake with better posture. The secret is confidence and a well-rested batter. And please, use the best cultured butter you can find—I swear by the salted stuff from Normandy or a local dairy farm. It browns beautifully and gives the buckwheat those irresistible crispy, lacy edges.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does The "California Complète" Buckwheat Galette take to make?

The "California Complète" Buckwheat Galette takes about 1 hour total. That includes 35 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking.

How many servings does this recipe make?

This recipe makes 4 servings.

What skill level is needed for The "California Complète" Buckwheat Galette?

This recipe is rated medium — it's intermediate, requiring some cooking experience.

What ingredients do I need for The "California Complète" Buckwheat Galette?

The main ingredients are: buckwheat flour, water, eggs, sea salt, olive oil, cherry tomatoes, shallot, cultured butter, Comté cheese, avocado, lemon, chili flakes, flaky sea salt, egg, Comté cheese, chili flakes.

What type of meal is The "California Complète" Buckwheat Galette?

The "California Complète" Buckwheat Galette is categorized as: breakfast, lunch.