Crepes are misunderstood. It could be because they’re French and people often think that anything French is immediately pretentious and difficult to make.  But here is where you’re wrong.  You see, crepes are also known as palyczinto in Hungarian, blinchik in Russian and blintzes in Yiddish.  Fillings for crepes can be either savory or sweet. Russians like their blinchiki filled with ground beef sauteed with chopped onions. Hungarians fill palyczintos with Farmer’s Cheese and eat them with some jam.  You’ll find a variety of fillings in French crepes.  I like my crepes filled with a Hazelnut-Chocolate spread.  Crepes are simple to prepare and you can fill them with whatever you have on hand. With that in mind, the pressure is off, and anyone, even students, can make elegant crepes that will impress friends, parents and siblings.

Jacob’s Recipe for Crepes

(makes 15 crepes)

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

2 eggs

1/2 a cup of milk (soy milk can be substituted to make this pareve)

1/2 a cup of water

1/4 tsp of salt

4 tbsp oil

1 tbsp sugar

1 pat of butter (or margarine)

Equipment:

8 inch (dairy) pan

Blender

Spatula

1/8 of a cup measuring device

Directions: 

1) Take out your blender place it on your counter and plug it in (duh). Place all of your wet ingredients in the blender followed by your dry ones. Close the blender and turn it on the medium setting for about a minute. Once you have made the batter pour it in to a separate bowl.

2) Turn on your burner to the lowest setting placing your pan on top of the flame. Wait until your pan is hot, then place the butter in the pan and swirl it in a clockwise motion until the butter has coated the pan. Pour 1/8 of a cup of the batter in the pan.

3) Once the batter is in the pan immediately turn the pan in a clockwise motion until the batter has coated the pan.

4) When the batter has lost its sheen and bubbles have stopped forming, take your spatula and flip your crepe. Let it cook on the other side for about 25-30 seconds.

5) Take a plate and place the finished crepe on the plate.

6) Take your favorite jam, or chocolate spread and smear a dollop of it on the right side of the front of your crepe. Then roll the crepe so the filling is in the inside (duh), then top with slices of your favorite fruit, whipped cream, or powdered sugar.