By Valerie Tort

Crepe is a break in the routine of a fast food nation since it is easy to prepare and quick to cook. Crepe is also a versatile choice for diners who wanted to try something new most of the time.

Making crepes can utilize those leftovers in the refrigerator and transform them into another dish. Crepes vary according to their fillings. Fillings may be a dessert-like treat glazed with caramel, chocolate, or your choice of sauce or a sumptuous savory lunch/dinner packed with protein-rich meat and vegetables.

Crepes are almost similar to pancakes. Sometimes, crepes are also called “thin pancakes” especially if these wraps are served as desserts. The difference is the thickness of the crust and the sweetness of the batter.

Crepe batter can be made in a single batch, wraped according to serving sizes and chilled in the freezer for future meals.

Some of the diners would not be convince how these batter-based dish can be filling. Why not try these suggested recipes for now and be creative with this wraped meals afterwards.

Basic Crepe Batter:

Ingredients:
3 large whole eggs
1 1/3 cups full cream milk
¾ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter (optional: brushed on the skillet)

Procedure:

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and blend until a smooth consistency is achieved. Pour a tablespoon to ¼ cup of the batter at a time into a 8″ skillet or a nonstick pan over medium heat. Flip the crepe when the edges are crispy. Be careful in fliping the crepe since it can be torn easily. Use a spatula to lift the edges of the crepe and use your hand to flip the crepe so the form would be retained.

Cook the crepe until you achieve a light golden brown color. Do not overcook. The crepe should be soft and not crunchy. Let it cool.

Tip: If you are in a hurry or you do not have these ingredients at home, pancake mix is a great altenative to make the batter. However, pancake mix can only be used if you are serving a dessert crepe since it is sweet.

Dessert: Chocolate-Banana Crepe Recipe

Ingredients:
4 crepes
2 bananas
1 cup Nutella (a chocolate hazelnut spread available in most supermarkets)
½ cup walnuts or any nuts, chopped (optional)

Procedure:

Spread approximately ¼ cup Nutella on each crepe. Peel and cut bananas lengthwise, using a half for each crepe. Sprinkle the bananas with walnuts and roll the crepe.

Savory Crepe: Mushroom and Sausage Crepe Recipe

Ingedients:
4 crepes
500 grams sausage of your choice
2 tablespoons butter
250 grams sliced mushrooms (if canned, drain the water)
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
Parmesan Cheese

Procedure:

Cook the sausage and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pan over low heat to prevent it from burning easily and add the sliced mushrooms and chopped green onions. Increase the heat to medium and cook it for 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Drain the excess oil and stir in ½ cup Parmesan cheese. Add the cooked sausage and wrap your desired amount of filling in the crepe.

Don’t let the French cuisine intimidate you as you encounter crepes in your meals. Let these crepes fill in your tummy in minutes and have another batch to indulge yourself with.

Tags: Crepe Recipes, Dessert Recipes