Description
A couple of tender and buttery ham and cheese crepes with a green salad on the side make for a perfect dinner! The crepes are small but very filling thanks to the bechamel sauce, melted cheese and nuggets of salty ham.
Ingredients
Scale
For the batter:
- 15g butter (1 tbsp), plus extra to grease the pan
- 105g all-purpose flour (¾ cup)
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- 240ml whole milk (1 cup)
- 1 egg, beaten
For the filling:
- 360ml whole milk (1 ½ cups)
- 30g butter (2 tbsp)
- 35g all-purpose flour (¼ cup)
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- ⅓ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¾ tsp dried parsley flakes
- 140g diced ham (5 oz)
- 110g shredded mozzarella (1 cup or 4 oz)
Instructions
- Make the batter. Put the butter in a small saucepan and let it melt over low heat. Pour the milk into the pan and let it warm up until it just reaches room temperature. Remove the pan from the heat. Mix the flour and salt together in a mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Gradually whisk in the milk mixture (you can use a whisk, a hand mixer, or a blender) and keep mixing until fully incorporated. Whisk in the beaten egg. The batter should be as thin as single/light cream. Using a strainer, sieve the batter into another mixing bowl to get rid of any lumps. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave the batter to rest at room temperature while you get on with the filling.
- Make the bechamel sauce. Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat just until a few bubbles start to appear on the surface. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Melt the butter in a separate heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 2 min, stirring with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and grab a whisk. Slowly but steadily pour the warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. When all the milk has been incorporated and the sauce is smooth, place the pan over medium heat. Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture has thickened nicely, about 4 min. The sauce is usually ready by the time tiny bubbles appear on the surface. Add the spices and whisk again. Scrape the bechamel into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a piece of waxed paper, pressing it directly on the top of the bechamel to prevent skin from forming.
- Prepare before cooking the crepes. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside for now. You will place the crepes on it once filled. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a small saucepan over low heat. You will use it to brush butter on the crepes pan. I prefer not to use a ladle to pour the batter from a mixing bowl into the crepes pan as it takes too many precious seconds to add more batter if needed to cover the base of the pan. Crepes batter cooks rapidly and I find it easier and quicker to simply pour the batter from a jug. However, use whatever makes you feel more in control; whether it’s a measuring jug or a ladle. So either pour the batter into a measuring cup/jug (preferably with a spout) or grab a ladle.
- Cook the crepes. Place a small 20cm (8 in) non-stick frying pan with low sides over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes. To cook great crêpes the pan should not be smoking hot but still pretty hot. Lightly brush the pan with melted butter, it should be almost foaming. Now holding the pan with one hand and the jug (or a ladle) with the other, pour enough batter into the center of the pan to cover ¾ of its base. Then swirl the pan around, tilting it until the batter covers the whole base of the pan. You can always add a bit more batter if you have holes but be mindful that a crêpe should be very thin. Cook the crêpe for 1 to 2 min, until the edges start to crisp up and brown and the center has set and turned golden. You can check the color of the crêpe by gently lifting the edge with a spatula and having a quick look. Turn the crepe over with a spatula or use your fingers (carefully). The other side will cook more quickly, about 30 seconds. Transfer the crepe to a plate and cover it with another plate placed upside down to keep it warm and tender. Repeat the process until all the batter is used up. You should get about 11 small crepes, but the number will vary according to the size of your pan. Don’t forget to brush the pan with melted butter before cooking each crepe.
- Fill. Working with 1 crepe at a time, spread 1 tbsp (not heaped) of bechamel sauce over just half of the crepe. Be mindful to leave a 5mm (⅕ in) margin so the filling won’t spill out later. Sprinkle a very small handful of diced ham and shredded cheese over the bechamel. Fold the crepe in half, sandwiching the filling. Lightly press over the top of the filled crepe and transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with the other crepes.
- Reheat the ham and cheese crepes. Place a large non-stick frying pan on the largest burner and heat the pan over medium-high heat. Brush the pan with melted butter and place the ham and cheese crepes in the pan in one single layer. Cook until the ham and cheese crepes are golden brown and the filling is heated through, about 2 to 3 min per side. The crepes should not overlap so you might need to do this in 2 batches if your pan is not large enough. Serve straight away!
Notes
You can keep the ham and cheese crepes, placed on a plate covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil or stored in an airtight container, for up to 2 days in the fridge. They will get a bit soggier over time.
Reheat using a microwave or in an oven preheated to 150°C (300°F) until warmed through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 crepe
- Calories: 161
Keywords: mini crepes appetizer, small crepes, french flavors, french meal ideas