A flaky, buttery galette makes a fine starting point for using the ends and bits of cheese in your fridge. You can top these with almost any kind of grating cheese. Here we made a galette with onion, bacon, Ossau, and Vella Dry Jack [Wagon Wheel or Hop Along work well here], and then we made a second version with onion, fresh ricotta [or Fromage Blanc], lots of herbs, and paper-thin slices of lemon. You could also use this same dough for a sweeter galette made with mascarpone and fresh berries or stone fruit.

Make sure the butter is very cold before you start. Don't roll the dough; use your hands to press it into a round. Don't use a stand mixer or any mixer with this dough; you want small butter chips throughout because they're what make the galette so tender and flaky. Make this dough ahead if you like: Form it into a disk, wrap securely in plastic wrap, and then refrigerate for a day or two. Give the dough at least 1 hour to come to room temperature when you're ready to shape the galettes.

We say 1 tbsp of grated cheese below, but that's not really how we do it. Just grate the cheese directly over the galette without measuring and suit  - Sue Conley & Peggy Smith (Cowgirl Creamery Founders)

Makes one 8-in/20-cm Galette: Serves 4 as an appetizer

Galette Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch sea salt 
3/4 cup unsalted butter, very cold
4 tablespoons cold water
1 egg yolk

Grated Cheese Galette

1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced into half-moons, sautéed in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 
2 tablespoons grated Hop Along or Wagon Wheel (we also love a blend of Ossau, Vella Dry Jack, and Parmesan here)
1 slice bacon, cooked crisp and chopped

Fresh Cheese, Herb, and Lemon Galette

1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced into half-moons, sautéed in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small lemon (preferably Meyer), sliced paper-thin
4 tablespoons of Fromage Blanc, ricotta, or other fresh cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil, lemon thyme, or any fresh herb

To make the dough: Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut half of the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Cut in the remaining butter until the butter is the size of peas. Drizzle on 3 tablespoons of the cold water and stir just until moistened. Gather up the dough and knead it just a few times until it holds together. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

When the dough has chilled, shape it into a round with your hands. Don't overwork it. Transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Form the rim of the crust by gently lifting a small section of dough and pressing it inward. Mix the egg yolk with the remaining 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash. Set it aside.

Preheat the oven to 400F.

To make the Grated Cheese Galette: Spread the sautéed onion over the dough. Sprinkle the grated cheeses over the onion. Scatter the bacon on top. With a pastry brush, moisten the crust rim all the way around with the egg wash. Bake until the pastry turns golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Slide the galette onto a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

To make the Fresh Cheese, Herb, and Lemon Galette: Spread that sautéed onion over the dough. Arrange the lemon slices evenly over the onion. Drop small spoonfuls of the Fromage Blanc (or other fresh cheese) over the onion and lemon slices. With a pastry brush, moisten the crust rim all the way around with the egg wash. Bake until the pastry turns golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Slide the galette onto a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the herbs over the top, cut into wedges, and serve.