There are many recipes for generic crêpes (otherwise known as naleśniki), but this one is a never-fail one. When prepared, they can be filled with anything and folded, rolled, stacked, or cut into a spaghetti to go into spicy tomato soup…
The quantities below should result in 8-10 crêpes (23cm/9inch in diameter), depending on how precise and stubborn you are in achieving desired thinness..
- 3 eggs, separated
- 150ml milk
- 150ml water
- 150g flour
- Salt
- 2-3 tbsp softened butter (optional)
- mix carefully egg yolks, milk and flour
- add water and salt, mix till smooth
- beat the whites until stiff, gently add to the batter
- add fluid butter (if applicable), mix gently
- heat up the frying pan. If not heated, it will result in frustrating batter sticking to the surface and you’ll want to ditch it out of the window
- drop batter onto the pan – mine is measures 23 cm and takes about 120 ml (½ cup) of batter at the time
- when batter appears to separate from the pan, throw it on the other side..
- then drop the creation on the flat surface (I use the upside-down flat plate or a round cutting board)
- when cool enough to handle you may proceed with stuffing or folding or slicing… Here is an unfortunate image of the naleśnik stuffed with cabbage&bacon, reheated on a frying pan. Slightly overloaded, yet delicious.
Naleśniki can be stored without stuffing, covered tightly, or with stuffing – depending on what is inside. If you choose to store them, it is better to return to room temperature before working with them, as they tend to stick together when cold.
Usually you need to reheat them before serving (bake in the oven under sauce/cheese, fry, throw them into a hot soup)..
If you prefer, you may omit the butter, but then you need to grease the pan each time before you drop the batter onto the pan – unless you have a reverse, upside-down-type, then greasing it would not work..