Basic Crêpes

These basic pancakes can be transformed into all sorts of sweet and savoury delights, by omitting the sugar, adding chopped herbs and so on.  Savoury pancake fillings can vary from simple chicken and ham in a creamy cheese sauce, or you could go completely veggie and fill them with creamed wild mushrooms and herbs. Alternatively go for the classic sweet options like Crêpe Suzette,  just  sugar and lemon juice.

These are not as rich as the w Crêpes. We achieve it by using only 2 eggs for 12 pancakes, while the Crepes call for 6 eggs for 16 pankaces..

Mixture below should produce 10-12 pancakes (23cm or 9 inch dia). The rest is in the filling – or in the wonder of the soup, in which these can be immersed (thinly sliced..)

• 500ml milk
• 250g flour
• 2 eggs
• Pinch salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Pour milk into a tall, large bowl – you do not want to spray the dough all over the kitchen)
2. Gradually add sifted flour, mixing it in with a mixer until you have a smooth thick liquid.
3. Separate eggs (yolks from whites)
4. Add yolks and oil to milky mixture, blend it really well.
5. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, adding salt to the foam.
6. Fold egg whites into the milky mixture, gently mix until smooth.
7. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and put aside, for at least 1 hour. If the mixture thickens significantly you can add a little milk or water. You now can get busy with the filling, or watch the movie?
8. Heat up you frying pan. It is important to start with the hot frying pan. We assume that the oil and egg yolk in the pancake mixture will suffice to ensure that the pancake will cook through but will not stick to the surface of the frying pan. We will fry not on the highest setting, but we will maintain med-high level (you will work it out..).
9. Pour the mixture onto the frying pan – the more you pour the thicker the pancake, so find your best position. I use roughly 1/2 cup for my frying pan. Once you pour some liquid, you need to move the frying pan in the circular motion to make sure the liquid finds it way and covers the whole circle.
10. Let the pancake heat up in one side. When ready it will start lifting itself on the edges and it will be available for the flipping action – i still do it with wooden spatula, but some people insist on throwing them up and catching them upside down on their way from the ceiling..
11. When both sides are golden and sealed, you can deposit the pancakes on the plate or wooden board, one on the top of another.
12. Such a pancake column is now ready to fill with some miracle mixture, or to sit (tightly sealed) in the fridge, until you are ready to use them, Should you keep pancakes in the fridge, allow them to return to room temperature before further use. I have successfully frozen them as well – just make sure all are very well wrapped and completely thawed before use.