Crepes work hard in French cooking and beyond, turning up as dessert and as street food alike. White flour is the standard today, but centuries ago—in the 13th century—buckwheat was the grain of choice. A portion of buckwheat flour here gives the crepes a fuller, nuttier character that stands up well to an indulgent filling of egg, cheese and ham.
Info
- Cook time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 8
Ingredients
Crepe Batter
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 to 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, plus more as needed
Filling and Assembly
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more as needed
- 8 large eggs
- 1/2 pound sliced ham, halved
- 12 ounces gruyère cheese, grated
- Chopped fresh chives, for topping
Instructions
- Start the batter. In a large bowl, whisk the buckwheat flour, all-purpose flour and salt together. In a second large bowl, whisk the egg with the milk and water. Pour the wet mixture into the dry one and whisk until smooth. Cover the bowl and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Cook the crepes. Set a large plate out and line it with paper towels. Melt some butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, then take the pan off the burner. Ladle about 4 ounces of batter into the center and use the bottom of the ladle to spread it thin. Return to the heat and cook until the underside is browned and the top is set and no longer wet, 3 to 4 minutes; turn the crepe and cook 2 minutes longer. Move it to the towel-lined plate. Continue with the rest of the batter, wiping out the browned butter and melting fresh butter in the skillet as needed. (Crepes can be made up to a day ahead: stack them, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.)
- Prepare the fillings. Combine the mayonnaise and mustard in a small bowl and set aside. In the same large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat and fry the eggs in batches until done to your liking, adding more butter when needed; move the fried eggs to a separate large plate. Put the ham in the skillet and cook just until heated through, then transfer it to another plate.
- Assemble and finish. Dry the skillet with a paper towel and lower the heat to medium. Spread roughly 2 teaspoons of the mayonnaise sauce over the center of one crepe, then place it sauce-side up in the skillet. Scatter 2 to 3 tablespoons of cheese on top, add a piece of ham and then a fried egg. Finish with another 1 to 2 tablespoons of cheese. Fold the edges of the crepe inward to make a square, keeping the egg exposed. Cook until the bottom is crisp and the cheese has melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining crepes and fillings. Scatter chives over the top and serve with the rest of the mayonnaise sauce.
