Have you ever eaten something so wonderful that you swore you would never forget the lingering moments of sheer enjoyment? This is how I feel about Breton style crêpes. They taste nothing like a sweet white wheat flour crêpe, and most importantly there is no vanilla in sight! They’re made with Buckwheat flour which has dark hints of mushroom and earth rather than the white wheat flour that most diners associate with the word crêpe. I have no explanation for why it took me so long to investigate this culinary marvel but I’m happy to report that I have successfully reproduced what I believe is a dang good replica.
The moment the batter hit the hot skillet I knew I was onto something. The aroma was just as I remembered. Although it had been years since my last authentic Breton-style crêpe, i was immediately transported back to Paris, fall of 2009. We tracked down a small restaurant called Crêperie Bretonne located at 67, rue de Charonne (11th). There was a wait to be seated but it was worth every second. They served a very dry fermented apple cider called Val de Rance (brut) that was lovely as well, although i haven’t been able to track it down here in the United States… yet. Many a meal was had in Paris but this one resonates with me. Perhaps it was the simplicity of the entire night, or maybe the love I felt for the company at hand but all in all it added up to an unforgettable life experience.
I realized shortly after I began researching that I was indeed using the wrong terminology. In Breton they refer to this type of crêpe as a Breton galette. Traditionally one would use a combination of Buckwheat flour (which is gluten free) and whole wheat flour. You need a bit of gluten for elasticity so your crepes don’t break, hence the bit of wheat flour. Fill them with gruyere cheese, ham, fresh tomatoes, herbs and an over medium egg! (or whatever is leftover in your fridge) The secret is to keep it simple so all the flavors shine though! I like to serve these with a green salad dressed in dijon vinaigrette.
Trés Bon!
Breton Style Galettes
1 1/2 c Buckwheat Flour
3/4 c Whole Wheat Flour
2 c Whole Milk
1/4 tsp salt (a large pinch)
1 egg
toppings of choice (cheese, herbs, pre cooked meat and vegetables, fried egg, fresh tomatoes, etc.)
Place first five ingredients in Blender and puree on high speed. (1-2 minutes) Refrigerated for 24 hours to rest the batter.
*pull out of fridge to warm for 1 hour before cooking. *Batter should be thin. Add a bit of water to batter if it doesn’t easily coat your pan when cooking.
Prepare toppings and keep warm. meanwhile, heat a lightly oiled non stick skillet, cast iron or crepe pan on medium heat. Pour in 1/4 cup batter and tilt/swirl in the pan to evenly coat the bottom. while crepe is cooking place cheese and selected toppings inside. cook crêpe 1-2 minutes (you only need to cook one side) and slide off pan onto serving plate. Fold over edges of crêpe and serve.
biking with angie 