Cheesy Leek and Potato Galette

Dominic Franks welcomes the new year with a simple but tasty dish, perfect for chilly winter days.

January is no time to start thinking about diets, I want quick and simple comfort food, but that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on taste. I think a galette is a great way to bring a simple, tasty, fast meal to the table. It’s essentially a rustic pastry pizza and the choice of toppings is endless.

I went for potatoes and leeks because that’s what I had in the fridge, but you could get creative with all kinds of ingredients. Obviously cheese was involved (because what is life without cheese?) and I used my own homemade cheddar shortcrust – but shop-bought would be just as scrumptious.

Serve warm from the oven for a mid-week meal, or cold the next day for lunch.

METHOD
• You’ll need a large baking sheet lined with parchment and a large frying pan with a lid.

• Start with the pastry. Place the flour, butter and cheese into a bowl and rub between your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add a splash of milk and using your hand (shaped like a claw) stir the mixture around until a dough forms. You may need a little more milk to bring it all together. You should be able to clean the bowl with the dough. Pat it into a flat roughly oval shape, wrap in clingfilm and pop in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

• The pastry can be made in advance and will keep in the fridge for two days, or the freezer for one month. The galette can be eaten warm or, once cool, stored in the fridge to eat the next day.

• To make the filling, place a pan on a medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. Throw in the potatoes and stir well, then stir in the thyme and some salt and pepper. Allow the potatoes to sauté for 5 mins, stirring regularly. Turn the heat to low, pop the lid on and allow the potatoes to sweat for a further 5 minutes. They should be just soft. Stir in the leeks and allow everything to sauté gently for another 7 minutes.

• Take the pan off the heat, allow it to cool for a minute or two and then stir in the cream cheese and Cheddar. Set aside whilst you roll out the pastry.

• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan)/356°F

• Flour your work surface and roll out the pastry to a large rough rectangle. It’s absolutely fine if it has craggy edges and isn’t perfect. This is exactly the rustic look we’re going for. Carefully transfer the pastry onto the baking sheet. It should be slightly larger than the baking sheet.

• Tip the leek and potato filling into the centre of the pastry and spread it out, leaving a 1.5-inch border all the way round. Carefully fold over the edge in sections, overlapping each section as you go round the galette. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with seeds, or more grated cheese.

• Bake for 30 minutes or until darkly golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

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