Buckwheat Crepes with Ham and Gruyère Cheese
To ensure the crepes are exceptionally tender, refrigerate the batter overnight.
Ingredients
For the crepes:
- 1 egg
- 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) milk
- 1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g) plus 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g) buckwheat flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. canola oil
- Butter for greasing
For the filling:
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) milk
- Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 8 thin slices jamón serrano
- 1/2 lb. (250 g) Gruyère cheese, shaved or grated
- 1/4 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) canola oil, plus more as needed
- 8 eggs
- Handful of fresh mesclun mix or salad greens for garnish
Directions
To make the crepes, in a blender, combine the egg, milk, all-purpose and buckwheat flours, salt and canola oil and process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight.
In a crepe pan over medium heat, coat the pan evenly with butter. Lift the pan at a slight angle and pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the center, tilting the pan to spread the batter to the edges. Return the pan to the heat and cook until the crepe is golden underneath, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the crepe over and cook until golden on the other side, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and cover. Repeat to make 8 crepes.
To make the filling, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter, add the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper and keep warm.
Preheat an oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
To assemble, lay a crepe flat, place a slice of ham and some of the cheese in the center. Fold up the edges of the crepe to form a square, leaving the center open. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining crepes and filling. Bake until the cheese melts, 5 to 7 minutes.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Pour in the canola oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking. Working in batches, break the eggs into the pan and fry, swirling the pan occasionally to baste the eggs with the oil, until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and season with salt and pepper. Add more oil to the pan between batches as needed.
Divide the crepes among 4 individual plates, top each with a fried egg, mesclun mix and sauce. Makes 8 crepes.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen