Back in April, I posted a recipe for creamy chicken and mushroom crepes, but unfortunately did not take pictures of the process (the Chattanooga area was having massive tornadoes that night and taking pictures of my dinner was the farthest thing from my mind). A week or two ago, though, my friend Matt of Matt Eats Chatt fame suggested that I do another blog post about crepes after he visited a crepe restaurant while in Vermont. He even posted some pictures of the menu to give me some inspiration.
As I mention in the video, I used to be afraid of crepes, mostly because of buzz that I had heard in cookbooks and on cooking shows about how persnickety they could be. Really, though, they’re no biggie. You just have to be careful with them and you’ll be rewarded with delicious crepes that can be used for sweet or savory applications.
The recipe for this filling is adapted from a recipe for spanakopita, a spinach and feta pie made with phyllo dough. The crepe batter is made from Alton Brown’s recipe, except that I added white whole wheat flour, of course.
To make the batter, simply buzz together in a blender: 4 1/2 ounces flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 2 eggs, and 1 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, melted and cooled. Allow to rest for 30 minutes to an hour, while you prepare the filling.
To make the filling, saute one small onion (or 1/2 medium or 1/4 large) in 2 teaspoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once the onions are soft and translucent, add 1 package frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and chopped. In a bowl, combine 1 beaten egg, 3 ounces shredded Swiss cheese, 1 ounce grated parmesan, and 3 ounces crumbled feta. Stir a small amount of the spinach and onion mixture into the cheese to temper the eggs, then add in the rest. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and fresh nutmeg. Transfter back into the pan and keep warm over low heat.
To make the crepes, heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush with melted butter and ladle in about 1/4 cup crepe batter, swirling to coat the pan. Cook for about 1 minute, then carefully flip using an offset spatula (I find this easiest if I shake the pan to loosen up the crepe a little first. Cook for about 30 seconds on the second side. FYI, the first crepe is often a loss-call it a “practice crepe”. Once the crepe is cooked on both sides, gently slide it onto a plate or a piece of aluminum foil (I like to stack my crepes in foil to keep them warm). Fill with desired filling, roll up or fold, and eat!
I hope that my directions and my video will prove to you that crepes are not difficult or scary. They are simple and delicious. I hope you’ll try them!
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