Crêpes Galore

When I speak of pancakes I don’t mean the American kind which are more like super-size pikelets and served in stacks with bacon and maple syrup for breakfast, lovely though they may be. I mean the thinner, more elegant ones the French call crêpes. This is a very good recipe for the batter:

Crêpe Batter

• 1 cup cold water
• 1 cup cold milk
• 4 eggs
• ½ tsp salt
• 1½ level cups plain flour
• 4 tbsp melted butter

This can be mixed together by hand, but it is a lot easier to put all the ingredients in a processor, or blender, and mix to a cream, just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour the mixture into a bowl or jug, cover, and refrigerate for at least two hours. This will make about 12 large, or 20 small, crêpes depending on their size and thickness.

I blew my pocket money many years ago on a cast-iron French crêpe pan. Heavy, about 28cm across and with hardly any lip, it is joy to use, but excellent crêpes can be made in most good frypans or skillets; non-stick is a great help.

Wipe the pan with a light coating of oil, I use non-virgin olive oil, and put over moderate heat until it just starts to smoke. Remove from the heat, pour in a measure of the batter and tilt the pan to spread a thin layer over the base. Return the pan to the heat for a minute or so. Lift the edges of the crêpe with a pallet knife or spatula, and if the under-side is nicely brown, flip the crêpe to cook the other side for about 30 seconds. (You can toss the crêpe to turn it if you like, but it does take a bit of practice. I don’t do it as the weight of my pan would probably break my wrist)

Wipe the pan again with oil and cook the next crêpe. If you find the batter is too thick, thin it with a little water. Depending on your first crêpe you may need to use more or less batter to get the size you require; I use a ladle, which holds just the right amount, and remember…crêpes should be thin. They can be served straight away or stacked with greaseproof paper between the layers and when cool wrapped and refrigerated for a day or so, or frozen.

Now you have your crêpes, what to do with them…

I confess a real weakness for them hot from the pan, and sprinkled with brown sugar and lemon juice, but crêpes are much more versatile than that.

For a simple, if rich, lunch dish…

Mash:

• a softened camembert with
• half the amount of cream cheese,
• 1 or 2 tablespoons of white wine,
• freshly ground pepper and
• a pinch of nutmeg.

Spread the mixture onto crêpes, roll them up, arrange them in a buttered oven dish, brush them with a little butter, and bake for 8-10 minutes in 200˚C oven. Serve with a crisp green salad.

…or for something with an Italian flavour…

Soften a chopped onion and a chopped clove of garlic in some extra virgin olive oil without allowing them to brown.

Add 4 or 5 zucchini’s cut into 1cm cubes and cook until browned.

Add 2 peeled and chopped tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes or so.

Remove from heat and add ½ cup of fresh basil leaves, torn. Check seasoning.

Spoon the mixture into the centre of the crêpes, together with some grated mozzarella. Fold the crêpes in half, then half again to make triangles and lay them point up in a buttered baking dish.

Dot with butter and scatter with grated mozzarella, then bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Crêpes are delicious baked with a filling of cooked chicken, or ham and mushrooms, in a simple béchamel sauce or with fish that has been poached in white wine with onion, fennel or dill, and then mixed with a white sauce made with the poaching liquid, a touch of Pernod, cream and chopped parsley.  Crêpes can be used like tortillas and filled with chilli then baked with cheese and sour cream or they can be layered like lasagne.

And of course there is the dessert crêpe…

There is the classic sugar and lemon, or good old maple syrup. For a special occasion, try gently frying peeled and sliced apples in butter with a sprinkling of sugar until they caramelise. Fill the crêpes, then serve them flamed with Calvados or brandy.

Or try a filling of peaches or nectarines baked, or poached, in a dessert wine. Fold the crêpes, dust with icing sugar and flash under the grill, then serve hot with ice cream.

For family meals they could be spread with a good quality jam or a melt of butter and chocolate, then rolled or folded, dusted with icing sugar, quickly grilled and served with ice cream, whipped cream or yoghurt.

So you see, the crêpe is really a blank canvas waiting for your masterpiece, and far too good to serve just once a year.