Description
Savory breakfast crepes are served filled with sliced ham, melted cheese and fried eggs. These nutty buckwheat crêpes are the perfect candidate for a delicious filling brunch.
Ingredients
Scale
For the batter:
- 20g butter (1 heaped tbsp), diced + 1 tbsp to grease the pan
- 300ml whole milk (1 ¼ cups)
- 95g buckwheat flour (⅔ cup)
- 20g all-purpose flour (2 tbsp)
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 egg, beaten
For the filling:
- 4 eggs
- fine salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 thin slices of ham
- 85g grated Swiss cheese (¾ cup), I used Emmental
Instructions
- Make the batter. Put the butter and milk into a saucepan and heat over low heat until the butter has completely melted and the milk is at room temperature, then set aside. Put the flours and salt in a large 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 mix until fully incorporated. Gradually whisk in the beaten egg. The batter should be as thin as single/light cream. You can sieve the batter with a strainer into another mixing bowl to get rid of any lumps if desired.
- Prepare before cooking. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Place the filling ingredients at the ready near the stove. I prefer not to use a ladle to pour batter from a mixing bowl into the pan as it takes too many precious seconds to add more batter if needed to cover the base of the pan. Crêpes batter cooks rapidly and I find it easier and quicker to simply pour 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 big enough measuring cup/jug or grab a ladle.
- Pour batter into a pan. Place a crêpes pan (or a non-stick frying pan with low sides) on the largest burner and heat it over medium-high heat for a few minutes. To cook great crêpes the pan should not be smoking hot but still pretty hot. Brush the pan with melted butter, it should be 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 and fill it. Cook the crêpe for 3 to 4 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. In the meantime crack an egg into a ramekin and cut 1 slice of ham into 3 to 4 pieces (admittedly, I use my hands). Turn the crêpe over with a spatula or use your fingers (carefully). Now working quickly; take the pan off the heat and pour the egg onto the middle of the flipped crêpe. Season the egg with salt and black pepper. Place the pieces of ham all around the egg and sprinkle a small handful of grated cheese. Place the pan back on the burner over medium-high heat. Cover the crêpe with a glass lid or an inverted frying pan that is large and high enough not to touch the fried egg. The idea is to trap the heat/steam to make sure that the fried egg will cook throughout quickly even if it’s not in direct contact with the pan. Cook for 2 min or until the underside of the crêpe is browned, the cheese is melted and the whites of the egg are completely set. Fold the edges of the crepe towards the center to make a square. Serve immediately.
- Repeat the process to cook the other savory breakfast crepes. Brush the pan with melted butter before cooking each crêpe. It’s not a necessity since it’s a non-stick pan but it makes them extra soft and buttery. If you want to serve the 4 savory breakfast crepes at the same time then, preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Slightly undercook the eggs (only cook the covered crepes for 1 min instead of 2). Place the crepes on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment and then reheat them in the oven for just a few minutes. The goal is to warm up the savory breakfast crepes without drying them out. You want them to be warm to the touch while keeping the yolks runny.
Notes
You can keep savory breakfast crepes, placed on a plate covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat using a microwave or in an oven preheated to 150°C (300°F).
My crêpes pan is 32cm (12 in) wide, which is a bit wider than a normal crêpes pan. If your pan is smaller than mine, you might end up with more buckwheat crêpes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 394
Keywords: french brunch, savory brunch ideas