I made crepes for the first time last month, thinking it would be a disaster. I had a sinking feeling they’d stick to my fry pan or otherwise tear apart as I tried to flip them with my bare hands. But they didn’t – and they were delicious, proof that you don’t need fancy equipment to make these delicate pancakes.
Crepes are actually quite easy to prepare, but you do have to let the batter rest for at least an hour – so plan ahead. If you want to enjoy them in the morning, make the batter the night before (unless you’re an early riser, like me). Then, when you wake up, all you have to do is heat a nonstick fry pan over medium heat and pour in the batter, swirl and flip.
I like to serve crepes for breakfast with fresh fruit and powdered sugar. If I have leftovers, I’ll fill them with chicken and leafy greens for a light lunch or dinner. You could also enjoy crepes with jam, chocolate spread or peanut butter – unless, of course, you add herbs to the batter, which is what I did here.
I’m using these savory crepes as a canvas for some of the leftovers in my fridge, but you could just as easily stuff them with roasted asparagus, sautéed mushrooms, ham and cheese for an elegant brunch gathering.
Recipe adapted from Cookin’ Canuck.
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- 3 tablespoons water
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- Melt butter in a medium bowl or large measuring cup. Let cool and then add the egg, milk, water, flour, salt, tarragon and dill. Whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
- Remove the crepe batter from the refrigerator and stir. Heat a 10-inch nonstick fry pan over medium heat. Add ¼ cup crepe batter and swirl to completely cover bottom of the pan. Place the pan back on the heat and cook until the center of the crepe is almost dry and the edges are lightly browned. Using a spatula (or your fingertips), flip the crepe and cook until the underside is golden brown, about 1 minute.
- Remove the crepe from the pan and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining batter. Crepes are best eaten fresh but can be frozen or wrapped in foil and stored in the refrigerator.
