Leek & Potato Galette with Taleggio

Another tropical storm has rolled in this weekend, leaving me craving something cozy and comforting. Yet something with a nod to Spring, as if to gently nudge the rainy winter weather its time to roll on by. Admittedly, I was feeling rather lazy and listless due to the grey, damp weather, so a rustic galette sounded just right. Even Winslow, who normally is like a gleeful piggy in mud in these stormy days, has had enough of being perpetually damp…longing for the sunshine again like myself. Oh well, I do, however, love the coziness it brings with spurts of “let’s get down to work” attitude of finishing up projects around the home and in my business. All the sorts of things we avoid doing when it’s gorgeous outside…

I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious galette with leeks, potato, taleggio, and savory walnut crust. It’s perfect for a damp, rainy, cold day…

Leek & Potato Galette With Taleggio

Pastry Dough:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold

1/4 cup finely ground walnuts (see note about using food processor)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

4-5 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

Filling:

2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large leek or 2 small leeks, thinly sliced into rounds

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup or 4 oz (roughly) taleggio cheese, rind removed and pulled apart into small chunks (this will be messy!)

1/2 cup Vermont Herb Goat Cheese crumbles (this comes in a package log at any market)

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

cracked black pepper

2 small Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced

1 heaping tablespoon fresh chives, minced

To make the pastry dough:

Add the flour to a large bowl and grate in the cold butter. Work the butter into the flour with your hands until it resembles rough, flaky, floured cornflakes.

Blitz the walnut pieces in a food processor until they are finely ground.

Add the ground walnuts and sea salt to the flour and butter mixture. Slowly pour in the ice water in batches, mixing with your hands until the dough begins to form. Bring the dough together until it forms a rough, shaggy mass. Add a little more water if necessary, just until the dough comes together into a rough ball in the bowl. Take the dough ball out to a clean work surface and continue to bring it together just until it forms a smooth and even consistency. Try not to overwork the dough. Add the dough back to the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow it to chill in the fridge for at least one hour. You can also make this a day ahead and leave it to chill overnight.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Prepare the filling by adding 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and the leeks to a large sauté pan over low-medium heat.

Gently stir the leeks occasionally and cook until they are soft and slightly caramelized about 25-30 minutes. Halfway through cooking, lower the heat if necessary to prevent them from burning. In the last few minutes, add the garlic cloves and a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and continue to cook until they soften and become fragrant. Turn off the heat and transfer the leeks to a small bowl.

Combine the taleggio, goat cheese, heavy cream, and a pinch of sea salt in a small bowl. This will be a rather clumpy mixture. Season with a few cracks of black pepper.

Pull out the dough from the fridge and lightly flour your work surface. Roll out the dough in a rough circle 10”-12” in diameter, about 1/4”- 1/2” thick. Flour both sides if it begins to stick. This doesn’t need to be perfect, it has a rather rustic look.

Place the rolled dough circle onto the parchment paper.

To assemble the galette, spread the caramelized leeks evenly in the middle of the dough, leaving about a 2”-3” border.

Add spoonfuls of the taleggio and goat cheese onto the leeks, dotting them evenly around. No need to be fussy about this!

Next, layer the potato slices over the cheese in an even layer, slightly overlapping if necessary. Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes with another pinch of sea salt.

To finish, lift the edge of the parchment paper to gently fold the dough over the potatoes, forming about 1”- 2” crust. You can also use your hands if necessary. No need to smooth over the edges or creases; just slightly round the crust edges as it may look rather hexagonal as opposed to circular. If you prefer a cleaner finish, you can trim away any excess with a knife.

Holding onto the parchment paper, slide the galette onto the baking sheet.

Lightly brush the crust with additional heavy cream. (Or an egg wash of 1 egg and a teaspoon of water if you really want to.)

Bake for 45 minutes until the crust is puffed and golden brown.

Sprinkle fresh minced chives over the top.

Allow it to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

*A quick note: my pastry may look thicker because I accidentally doubled the recipe!