Description
If you love basil and crêpes, this is the recipe for you! These light green tasty crêpes are perfect for a special brunch surprise or as the base for the Italian favorite, Crespelle alla Fiorentine. They also store really well in the fridge or freezer making them a good MealPrep option for families who are constantly on the go.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves(30g)
- 1/2 ounce grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Parmesan) (15g)
- 1 cup all-purpose, spooned and leveled (120g)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (decrease or omit if preferred) (13g)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/8 teaspoon table or sea salt)
- 1 teaspoon sugar (4g)
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk (354g)
- 4 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (43g)
Instructions
- Make the batter (food processor method). In the bowl of a food processor or blender combine fresh basil and milk and process until smooth and light green or about 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until the mixture is smooth and bubbles form on top, about 30 seconds. *see notes below for hand-whisking method
- Rest the batter. If you’re in a huge hurry, let the batter rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before making the crêpes. Otherwise, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight and whisk well before using.
- Cook the crêpes. Heat a 10 or 12-inch cast-iron crêpe pan, well seasoned cast-iron skillet, or another nonstick skillet over medium. Lightly brush the surface with butter. Add about 1/3 cup batter and swirl the pan to completely cover the bottom and sides of the skillet. Cook until the underside of the crepe is golden brown and it starts to bubble.
- Loosen the edge of the crêpe with a spatula, then using your fingertips, carefully and quickly flip the crepe over and continue cooking approximately 30 seconds to one minute more until the crêpe is cooked through. Slide the crêpe out of the skillet and repeat with the remaining batter, coating the pan with butter as needed.
- Fill the crêpes with your favorite savory filling and Enjoy!
Notes
- If using salted butter instead of unsalted butter, omit the salt called for in the recipe.
- If you’re short on time, you can skip browning the butter, but we recommend toasting it if you can because it only takes a few seconds more.
- Want to avoid rubbery crêpes? If you want to avoid rubbery crêpes, be sure to follow these easy tips for tender crêpes every time:
- Use regular all-purpose or 00 flour and do not overmix the batter which will further activate the gluten creating a tougher crêpe.
- Rest the batter for at least 15 minutes at room temp or in the fridge, but it’s better to allow at least 30 minutes to 1 hour rest covered in the fridge.
- Make sure your pan is hot (just before it starts smoking) so that the crêpe cooks properly. If your heat is too low, the crêpes can turn out rubbery and if your skillet is too hot, it can become crispy, hard, and overcooked. But don’t be intimidated, even if you’re new to cooking crépes, it takes just a few practice rounds to get it just right!
- MealPrep for quick breakfast, lunch, dinners, and snacks, by doubling the recipe. If you want to have plenty of crêpey goodness ready to go, cook as directed, cool completely, and store stacked on top of each other in a sealed bag in the fridge. If freezing the crêpes, stack the cooled crêpes in preferred portions, wrap them snuggly in recyclable plastic wrap, and place them in a sealed bag in the freezer. Thaw crêpes overnight in the fridge or on the countertop at room temp if in a hurry and use as you normally would.
- Make the batter (hand-whisking method). Chop the basil as quickly and finely as you can and add it to a large mixing bowl with the milk. Whisk the basil and milk for about 20-30 seconds and add the remaining ingredients, vigorously whisk all of the ingredients for 30-45 seconds more and proceed with the recipe.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Rest Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast + Brunch
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 crêpes
