Ficelle Picarde Recipe (Crepe Gratin)

Ficelle picarde, which literally translates to "Picard string" in French, sounds like a fancy dish, but really, it's just a savory crêpe gratin filled with sautéed chopped mushrooms (called duxelles). It's a specialty from the region of Picardy, located in the North of France. The authentic dish is made with ham but I replaced it with soy chorizo to make it vegetarian. First, mushroom stuffed crêpes are rolled, then placed in a casserole dish, covered with Mornay mushroom cream sauce and sprinkled with Gruyère cheese. The last step is 5 to 10 minutes in the oven until bubbly and golden.

Crêpes are a fairly frequent dish at our home. The batter can be prepared in advance and you could also store pre-cooked crêpes in the freezer for faster assembly time. Whether they are served as a savory dish or as a dessert (or both!), we always find a new way to pair them with interesting combinations of flavors.

Beet and Goat Cheese Crepe Recipe

I love the combination of beets and goat cheese. They pair wonderfully, and I’ve used them in many recipes. I had both ingredients on hand today, so I mixed them together and stuffed them in crêpes.

Making crêpe batter is very basic. I first learned how to make crêpes in kindergarten back in France, and I haven't forgotten since then. The quantities go like so: 2 eggs, 250 grams of flour (1-3/4 cups) and ½ liter of milk (2 cups). Allow to rest for a few hours. I then adjust the quantities of liquid by eyeballing until the perfect consistency is reached (see tips).   

Our friend Carole (she is by the way the editor of PhamFatale.com) always sends me wonderful cooking tips along with the corrections of my daily recipes. Carole and her husband David recently hosted a crêpe party at their home. She told me that leftover cooked crêpes store incredibly well in the freezer, which I immediately wanted to try. I’ve made several batches of crêpes since then, but even after my third attempt, no leftovers. What can I say, I live with wolves!

Eggless Dessert: French Crepe Recipe

This eggless crepe recipe requires less liquid than regular crepe batter, along with a bit of baking powder. You could serve them as is, or you could add your favorite filling. This time around I smothered the warm crêpe with butter, added a layer of apricot preserves, topped it with sweetened whipped cream and finished with fresh fruits.

Most French desserts contain eggs, but as I’ve mentioned in the past, one of my sisters-in-law is allergic to them. I’m always trying to find ways to make egg-free alternatives to please her sweet tooth. After many attempts, I’ve found that crêpes translate incredibly well without eggs, perhaps better than any other treat. Being able to watch her enjoying the dessert with a wide smile across her face makes it all worth it!

Galette Complete (Savory Crepe Recipe)

Galettes are the savory version of a crêpe. Une galette complète, also known as crêpe jambon-œuf-fromage is a version filled with ham, eggs and cheese. I decided to have a little fun and made my version with smoked beef sausage, emmental cheese and sunny side up quail eggs.

We make crêpes at least once a month. It's my way of having a lazy day. The girls make the crepe batter themselves, following the instructions to a "t". Everyone gets involved with the measuring of the ingredients and the mixing, even the little ones. If you have kids, this meal is the perfect way to get them interesting in cooking, and everyone can reap the benefits.

French Buckwheat Crepe Recipe (Galette de Sarrasin ou Galette de Ble Noir)

Galettes de sarrasin, also known as galettes de blé noir, are savory crêpes made from buckwheat flour. They're also called crêpes bretonnes (Breton-style) as the dish originated in Brittany, France. The lacy crêpes are made in a very similar manner to sweet crêpes, but the difference is that buckwheat crêpes are cooked only one one side.

Originally, the "true" galettes were supposed to be served plain with salted butter, but these days, they're usually garnished with charcuterie meat, smoked fish, cheese or vegetables. The most popular version is called La complète which is composed of ham, emmenthal cheese and a cracked egg cooked directly on top of the galette. Another common one, La soubise, is filled with caramelized onions and salted butter. I filled mine with sautéed button mushrooms, red bell peppers and raclette cheese.

If you're only familiar with sweet crêpes, it's definitely worth giving these buckwheat crêpes a try. C'est absolument délicieux!