Taleggio cheese has great melting qualities, and its mild creaminess pairs beautifully with thyme. I like the freeform shape of a galette: it also means you don’t need a specific tart tin to make it. I use half wholemeal and half plain flour to give the pastry extra flavour and texture.
Serves 6
For the pastry
plain white flour 140g
wholemeal flour 140g
unsalted butter 170g, very cold and cut into cubes
flaked salt a large pinch
iced water 4-5 tbsp
egg 1, beaten for egg wash
For the filling
butter 25g
olive oil 2 tbsp
leeks 4 medium, about 600g
thyme a few sprigs, leaves picked from the stalks
creme fraiche 2 tbsp
potatoes 400g, skin on, very thinly sliced (2mm)
taleggio 270g, rind removed
Make the pastry: put the flours, butter and salt into a food processor and blitz briefly, until the butter pieces are the size of petit pois. Tip into a bowl and add the water, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing by hand to bring the mixture together. Roll the dough into a ball and squash to a thick disc, wrap with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and thyme, season well and cook, stirring for at least 20 minutes until very soft and sweet. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Heat the oven to 160C fan/gas mark 4.
On a floured surface, roll the pastry into a large circle or oval, then lift onto a sheet of parchment and lay that on a baking sheet.
Mix the leeks with the creme fraiche and season well with salt and pepper.
Brush the pastry with oil and cover with a layer of potato slices, leaving a border around the edge of about 3cm. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the potatoes with a layer of leeks and slices of taleggio. Repeat. Fold over the edge of the pastry to make a border around the filling.
Paint the pastry with egg wash.
Cook for 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling soft and melting. Serve with a green salad.
Blanche Vaughan is a food writer and author of Egg
