Buckwheat Crepes

I have fond memories of eating buckwheat crepes, filled with egg, ham and cheese, in the sunny courtyard cafes of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence many years ago. Here, we ate them open on a plate, with the edges folded inwards. These crepes have become our new favourite dish for weekend breakfasts at home. With all the rain in recent weeks (as well as kids being sick), there’s been no need to rush out the door. I must say, I’m quite enjoying the leisurely pace (although Stella, the Labrador, is missing her long walks). The kids are partial to dousing their crepes with lemon and sugar, or maple syrup. I’ve been experimenting with savoury toppings. I made whipped goat’s cheese in a previous blog post, and I thought this might be a good topping for the crepes, with smoked fish, or zucchini, cucumber and herbs. It was delicious!

Crepes are believed to have originated in Brittany, in northwest France, with galettes being a regional specialty. Did you know that galettes are made entirely of buckwheat flour? Buckwheat is a quick-growing crop well suited to Brittany’s wet climate and poor soil. Buckwheat crepes are made with both wheat and buckwheat flour, yielding a crispier result than galettes.  Crepes made of wheat flour, eggs and milk or water, lend themselves well to sweet toppings, such as lemon and sugar, or Nutella – or orange juice and Grand Marnier for crepes suzette. If you’re interested in learning more about French cuisine and its history, I’d recommend ‘Let’s Eat France’ by François-Régis Gaudry and Friends (Artisan Books, New York, 2018). http://w.davidlebovitz.com/lets-eat-france/

Whether you’re making galettes, buckwheat crepes, or sweet crepes, rest the batter for a short while to let air bubbles dissipate. If you don’t have buckwheat flour, simply blend buckwheat grouts to make your own flour. The crepes are best eaten right away, although you can make them in advance and reheat them for a few minutes in the oven.

Here’s another comforting recipe for a rainy weekend breakfast: https://atamandastable.com.au/creamed-corn-wit…illed-vegetables/

Best wishes,

Amanda

PS: If you’d like to read more, please subscribe to my monthly newsletter for stories, recipes and tips for simple, nutritious meals.

Print Recipe

Buckwheat Crepes

a simple dish to prepare for breakfast, lunch or dinner served with any number of savoury and sweet toppings

Servings: 6 large crepes

Author: Amanda Lawson

Ingredients

Buckwheat Crepes

• 150 g plain wholemeal flour (I use spelt flour)
• 150 g buckwheat flour
• 500 ml milk (I use low-fat milk)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp raw sugar
• pinch of salt

Whipped Feta

• 1/2 cup soft feta
• 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp chopped herbs (parsley dill, chives)

Green Salad Topping

• 1 Lebanese cucumber
• 1 zucchini
• 1 lemon, zest & juice
• sea salt and black pepper

Smoked Trout Topping

• 1 fillet hot smoked trout (substitute with smoked mackerel/salmon)
• capers
• finely chopped spring onions
• chopped dill
• lemon wedges

Instructions

Buckwheat Crepes

• Mix all the ingredients together in a blender for a minute or so until smooth, then set aside, covered for 30 minutes, at room temperature. The mixture should be the pouring consistency of custard. If it's too thick, add a little more milk.
• Heat a non-stick fry pan over medium-high heat. When hot, dip a piece of paper towel in a small amount of butter and wipe it over the base.
• I like to use a soup ladle to spoon the mixture into the pan to ensure the crepes are the same size. Pour in about 3/4 ladle of the batter and tip the frypan so that the crepe batter covers the base of the pan.
• Cook for about a minute. Little bubbles will appear on the surface which indicates it's time to flip the crepe over. The underside should be golden brown. Cook the other side for about a minute until golden.
• Set aside on a plate, and continue until you have used all the batter. Serve immediately.

Whipped Feta

• Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whip with electric beaters for a couple of minutes until smooth and creamy.

Green Salad Topping

• Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zucchini and cucumber into thin strips.
• Toss in a bowl with lemon zest, the juice of half the lemon, chopped herbs, salt and pepper. Serve the remaining lemon wedges as a garnish.

Hot Smoked Trout Topping

• Assemble flakes of the smoked trout together with chopped spring onions, capers, herbs and wedges of lemon on a plate so that people can help themselves.

Notes

The crepes taste best when served immediately. You can refrigerate them and reheat them in the oven for about ten minutes.