BUCKWHEAT Crêpes (Galettes)
This is a traditional-style batter for “galettes de sarrasin”, the savory buckwheat crêpes of Brittany. It produces thin, delicate galettes with crisp edges and a slightly nutty flavor.
• Traditional Breton galettes are made with buckwheat flour, water, and salt. Buckwheat contains no gluten, so the batter benefits from a longer rest—ideally several hours or overnight.
• The batter should be thin enough to spread easily around the pan.
• Use a well-seasoned or nonstick pan and keep it evenly heated.
• Galettes are generally cooked on one side before adding fillings, then folded around the filling and finished until crisp at the edges.
• Classic fillings such as ham, cheese, and egg work beautifully, but seasonal vegetables and mushrooms are excellent alternatives. Buckwheat flour is gluten free (despite the word ‘wheat’ being in its name). The flour is made from a ground seed of a plant not related to a cereal grain.
- Yield
- 8-10 galettes
Directions
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In a blender, or with a whisk, mix together all the dry ingredients. Add the milk and eggs, then blend until smooth. Cover and chill for an hour or up to overnight.
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To fry the crêpes, remove the batter from the refrigerator about an hour before to bring it up to room temperature. Whisk it briskly. The batter should be the consistency of heavy cream. (If not, add a tablespoon of milk to thin it out)
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Heat a 9-inch skillet on the stovetop. You can use a traditional crêpe pan or a low-sided skillet. Stainless steel or non-stick are both fine, but they tend to cook a little differently, as the non-stick might take a minute longer.
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Drop a cube of butter or neutral oil into the center of the hot pan and swirl it around to coat the entire bottom. Proceed doing this for each subsequent crêpe prior to cooking. Lift the pan from the heat if the butter looks like it might become to brown.
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Lift the pan and pour 1/4 cup of the batter in the middle of the hot skillet, swirling the pan to distribute the batter quickly and evenly. The pan should NOT be blazing hot. The batter should start cooking within a few seconds, allowing just enough time to swirl it.
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After about one minute, run a thin, non-stick spatula or off-set spatula around the edge of the crêpe. If it looks firm and light golden in color, flip it over. After enough practice, you might be able to grab the edge and flip the crepe with your fingers.
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Let the buckwheat crêpe cook on the flip side for about 30 to 45 seconds, then slide it onto a dinner plate. Repeat, cooking the crepes using the remaining batter, stirring the batter every so often as you go.
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Crêpes should be served warm and can be kept under foil until they are all cooked.
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Make in advance: To reheat the crêpes, put them in a baking dish covered with foil. Heat them in a moderately warm oven, about 10 minutes.
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To fill, place ham, cheese, egg or whatever your choice of savory filling in the center of the crêpe leaving a 2-inch edge. Fold each edge in toward the center forming a square pocket. If using cheese, do this step in the warm crêpe pan, and let it sit for a minute over low heat to melt the cheese.
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FILLING OPTIONS: Ham and Gruyère
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Fried egg
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Mushroom, spinach, and béchamel sauce
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Chopped tomatoes and herbs
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Cherry or berry compote
From Shawnie's class “French Crêpes Three Ways: Sweet, Savory, and Suzette”
