As my mum lives in northern France we are frequent visitors and the children have always been fans of the Breton Galette. Then when it was discovered that my daughter was gluten sensitive they became a staple breakfast option – gluten free and rich in protein.
What is buckwheat?
Buckwheat is in fact not a wheat but what we call a “pseudo-cereal”. Buckwheat groats are shaped almost like a pyramid with a rounded bottom and gently tapered sides. It is named because the seeds closely resemble the much larger seeds of the beech tree. The name beechwheat eventually changed to buckwheat.
Nutritional highlights
Buckwheat contains higher levels of zinc, copper, potassium and manganese than other cereal grains. It also provides a very high level of protein, second highest only to oats. Not only is buckwheat protein well-balanced and rich in lysine, it has an amino acid score of 100, which is one of the highest amino acid scores among plant sources. It is high in soluble fibre helping to slow down the rate of glucose absorption and it is a potential source of resistant starch (escapes digestion in the small intestine) which can be highly advantageous to overall colon health.
Recipe
200g buckwheat flour
A pinch of sea salt
200ml hot water
2 tbsp butter
200ml milk (any kind)
1 egg
A few glosses of oil (I use ricebran)
Mix the flour and a good pinch of salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix the hot water and butter until the butter melts. Pour into the flour, then add the milk and egg. Whisk until smooth and leave to stand to give a lighter easier batter to work with.
Heat a large skillet or frying pan, brush with a little oil to lightly coat. Pour the batter in the centre of the pan till it’s about teacup saucer-sized. Swirl the pan to distribute the batter thinly, then cook over high heat till golden.
Flip over and cook the other side. Spoon your filling in the centre.
Toppings
We love to add an egg and a sprinkle of parmesan but more recently have been also experimenting with sweet toppings too such as a sprinkle of coconut sugar and orange juice topped with crushed hazelnuts or home made nutella.
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