Turn your Kitchen into a Crêperie!

Crêpes (pronounced "crep" in French) are not as difficult to prepare as they seem. If you take the time to make pancakes or waffles, crêpes will be easy for you!  If you have been to a crêperie, you know the sweet aroma in the air and delicious sweet or svory flavors.  A crêpe pan is preferred, but you can use a regular 10 inch skillet with handle.  Kids especially enjoy crêpes with Nutella!  Who doesn't?!  Do this fun cooking project with your whole family or friends.  Put everyone to work!  Children love to participate!

History of Crêpes

The word Crêpe comes from the Latin word crispus meaning curly or wavy...Every country has their version of a pancake. Mexico has the crepas and crespella in Italy...The Crêperie was established in Brittany, France and today are found throughout the world. In France, crêpes are served everywhere, on the streets, in restaurants and bistros, as well as the home.

In France, families make crêpes to celebrate holidays such as Candlemas or the Shrove Tuesday before Lent to celebrate renewal, family life and hopes for good fortune and happiness in the future. It is customary in France to touch the handle of the skillet and make a wish while flipping the crêpe with a coin in you hand. This tradition is reported to bring good luck to the crêpemaker...When Crêpes are made with buckwheat flour, they are called galettes...

It is said that Crêpes Suzette (made with Grand Marnier, orange juice, sugar and flambéed) was created by mistake by a fourteen year-old assistant waiter named Henri Carpentier (1880-1961) in 1895 at the Maitre at Monte Carlo's Café de Paris.  He was preparing a dessert for the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII (1841-1910) of England. Source: Larousse Gastronomique

Base Batter
Makes 8-10 Crêpes
1 C all purpose flour (can use gluten-free flour mixes)
1/2 t salt
3 large eggs
1 1/4 C milk (not skim)
3 T unsalted butter, melted (I use clarified butter)
Non stick spray
2 spatulas
1 medium size ladle

Sweet Crêpes:
If you are making sweet crêpes, you will add the below to your base mix above.
1/2 tsp high quality vanilla
1 T sugar
1 good dash of cinnamon

Filling Options for Sweet Crêpes:
Numerous options! You can use any of the below:
Fresh berries 
Bananas
Maple syrup
Honey
Fresh jam
Nutella
Butter
Powdered sugar
Ice cream

Savory Crêpes
If you are preparing savory crêpes, you can add any of the below to your base mix (OPTIONAL):
-One good dash of fresh ground pepper
-1/4 C fresh herbs finely minced such as parsley or chives

Filling Options for Savory Crêpes:
Shredded cheese (Swiss, Parmesan or Gruyère)
Crème fraiche, sour cream
Herbed soft cheese (Bousin, chevre (goat), cream cheese)
Seafood (smoked salmon, crab, lobster, shrimp)
High quality ham (prosciutto or Serrano)
Vegetables (sauteed mushrooms, asparagus or spinach)

Instructions
-Sift flour and salt into mixing bowl through a very thin mesh strainer and tap with your hand or a flour sifter.
-Make a well in the middle of flour and crack the 3 eggs and add half the milk.
-Whisk eggs and milk first and gradually stir in the flour from the sides of bowl, mix until smooth.
-Add the rest of the milk and melted butter and whisk until combined.
- For sweet crêpes stir in the vanilla, sugar and cinnamon.
**Cover bowl and let rest for 45 min - 1 hour.
-Prep your crêpe fillings while you wait and get organized for plating and serving.

Showtime!
-Goal is for thin crêpes.
-Medium heat and spray pan.
-Let pan heat for 1 minute.
-With ladle, pour batter in center of pan.
-Immediately pick up pan and tilt so batter covers the entire surface area.

-Wait 30-40 seconds, take handle of pan, make a wish and flip the crêpe in the pan (use spatula to help flip if need be).  All mistakes are still delicious!

-Turn off heat to avoid over browning.  If you are adding cheese, add now so it melts.
-After 30 second, remove crêpe from pan and garnish to serve.

**Carefully wipe pan clean with paper towel before you make each crêpe.

-If you are making many crêpes, you can stack them on a plate or tray to fill later.

-If you are making crêpes to order as they say, place filling on the pancake and fold or roll to serve.

Folding & Serving

Prosciutto & Gruyère

Bon Appétit!

Eggs not just for Breakfast - Spring Pizza Recipe!

Eggs are offered on pizza more often in Europe and delicious!  Think eggs, bacon with toast or Quiche Lorraine.  Have you ever had an egg on a burger?  Even better!  The golden egg yolk adds  tasty, rich flavour.

Pictorial of a spring recipe for pizza with asparagus below. I used quail eggs, but any fresh eggs will do.  Try it and you will love it!

Ingredients 
Pizza dough, fresh baguette or ciabatta bread (gluten-free pizza mixes and pizza crusts sold at stores)
1/2 bunch fresh asparagus, washed and peeled into strips (see below photo)
6-8 pieces high quality Serrano ham, hard salami or any cured meat, sliced very thin if possible.
2 fresh eggs or 4 smaller quail eggs
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or a shredded Italian blend.  I also use the small balls of fresh mozzarella.

Instructions
Preheat oven to 475-500 F

DOUGH
**Cooking times may vary depending upon what dough you use.  Fresh dough will take longer to cook vs a crust already made.  If you do not have time to make your own dough, you can buy it from your local pizza parlor.  Many grocery stores have fresh dough in refrigerator section as well.  My favorite gluten-free brand is Udi's!  Baguette or ciabatta bread work well too!  Pinch some of the bread out with you fingers to make space for the toppings or you can make bruschetta style.

-Plan to place pan on lower rack, closest to the heat source, the oven floor.  I remove lower rack all together and place the pan directly on the oven floor.  I then move it up to middle rack last 5 minutes.
**I prefer using Lodge brand cast iron pizza pan.  "Pizza stones" crack at some point and are hard to clean.

Lodge brand cast iron pizza pan

-Place pan you are using in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes so it gets as hot as possible.
**If you are using a baking sheet, turn it over and use opposite side. This makes it easier to slide the pizza off pan similar to using a pizza peel.

Prep toppings:

FRESH QUAIL EGGS

FRESH ASPARAGUS

PEELED ASPARAGUS

SERRANO HAM

-While you wait for pan to heat, shape your pizza dough on a floured cookie sheet again opposite side.
-Carefully take HOT pan out of oven, spray with olive oil and slide your pizza dough onto hot pan.  Use hands to lift dough as necessary. You may have to reshape dough a bit once on the hot pan.
-Add toppings - shredded cheese first, meat, asparagus and finish with Parmesan cheese and place in oven for 10 min.  Cooking times may vary.

PREP PIZZA

-After 10 min, carefully take pizza out of oven and crack eggs near center of pie and add any fresh mozzarella.

ADD FRESH EGGS & FRESH MOZZARELLA



-Place pizza back in oven for 8-10 more minutes.

-When pizza is finished, take out of oven and let rest for 2-5 minutes before serving.

FINI!

SERVE & ENJOY!