Västerbotten Cheese and Red Onion Spelt Galette (Homemade Pastry)

This cheese and red onion spelt galette has a rustic, spelt crust that’s to die for. Homemade pastry doesn’t come much better than this, believe me.

Most Swedes you speak to will tell you that Västerbottensost (Västerbotten’s cheese) is the big daddy of cheese. Let me tell you a little secret: it ain’t all that. Only joking. Please don’t deport me. It is good, only cheddar is better. Sorry, not sorry, my lovely Swedish friends and family.

Serously though, it is a nice cheese. Compared to the fairly mild cheeses commonly found here, this one has a defined sharpness to it. It’s not easy to describe Västerbotten cheese, but if pushed, I would say it was a cross between a mature cheddar and parmesan. Västerbotten is only produced in Sweden, so for this recipe, I am not expecting many people outside of Sweden to have access to Västerbotten. The best substitute would be half cheddar, half parmesan.

The pastry for this cheese and red onion spelt galette is delicious. Spelt makes an amazing pie crust: crumbly and buttery. The thing I like most about galettes is that there is no messing about manipulating the pastry into a pie dish. If you want to have a go at pastry but feel intimiated, try a galette first. You just roll out, spoon on your topping, then turn over the edges. My kids could do it. With their eyes closed. Swinging upside down. Okay, you’ve got the idea – it’s easy.

If you like this pie, check out my other spelt savoury dishes.

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Västerbotten Cheese and Red Onion Spelt Galette

Course Pie

Cuisine Swedish

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Rest time (fridge) 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Pastry

• 175g spelt flour (see notes)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 85g butter (cold)
• 3 tablespoons cold water

Filling

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small red onion (finely sliced)
• 1 clove garlic (crushed)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• salt & pepper (to taste)
• 100g Greek yoghurt
• 110g grated Västerbotten cheese (see notes)
• 1 egg yolk (for an egg wash)
• sea salt

Instructions

• Pastry: rub in (or combine) the flour and the butter, either using your fingers or a foodmixer and add the salt.
• One tablespoon at a time, add the cold water. Keep going until a smooth dough comes together. If you need more water, add a further ½ tablespoon at a time. You are aiming for a dough that sticks together well but isn't tacky to the touch. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Filling: melt the butter and add the sliced onion. Fry until softened. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute or two.
• Add the Worcestershire sauce and cook for one more minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the Greek yoghurt. Leave to cool. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
• Roll out the dough on baking paper. You want to aim for a thin, rough, fairly large, circle. Move the galette (along with the baking paper) on to a large baking tray.
• Stir the cheese into the filling mixture, then, place the filling in the middle of the pastry circle, spreading it around evenly. Leave about 5cm around the edge of the whole circle.
• Turn over the edges all the way around the circle and press the pastry gently down into the filling (not too hard, just so that it attaches a little). Beat the egg and wash over with a brush before sprinkling with sea salt.
• Bake for around 35 minutes until the pastry is nice and golden. Allow to cool a little and enjoy warm or cold.

Notes

1. Spelt flour can be substituted for regular flour.
2. If you can't get hold of Västerbotten, use 60g mature cheddar and 50g parmesan instead.
3. I use grams in my recipes as weighing ingredients is the most accurate method. However, if cups are your thing, you can convert my measurements at Cook it Simply.