For my first passion blog post of the semester, I’m going to be looking at a French recipe that I’ve grown up with. Galette Bretonne is a savory crepe (instead of the dessert type) that is great for a typical French breakfast or lunch meal. Fair warning, this recipe goes by a handful of names depending on which source you chose to use but if the recipe includes buckwheat flour, it’s probably the right one. The outside of a crepe is really similar to how you would make a pancake, just really really thin. Buckwheat flour instead of regular flour is really the defining ingredient that makes this type of crêpe different. Once you make that outer layer you can use it to wrap up pretty much anything you want. Typical fillings for this type of crêpe include eggs, ham, and cheese.
Before I get into the logistics, I’m going to go over some of the history and cultural traditions of this dish. As I mentioned before, this is a French recipe from the specific region of Britanny (Bretagne in French) in the Western part of the country. This dish is also traditionally enjoyed with apple cider or juice which was something new that I learned so I really enjoyed being able to try that out.
For this recipe, all you really need is buckwheat flour (which I surprised to find in my kitchen), whole wheat flour (which was included in the recipe I used but not always used in every recipe), an egg, and water. Then, you can top the crėpe of with whatever you want. I went with the traditional egg and cheese combination. Overall, this recipe is pretty simple when it comes to the necessary ingredients.
When I tried to make this dish, I struggled at first because it can be hard to make sure your crêpe is the right size and thickness. Crepes are like pancakes in that the first one is never good. The pan should also be really hot before you pour the batter. Other than that, the recipe is pretty straight forward just be mindful not to burn them (like I did multiple times) because they cook fast
Making the batter was pretty easy and adding the toppings was pretty straightforward. The whole process took me just over half an hour which includes the time I spent remaking burnt crepes. So, I’d say this recipe is pretty convenient and looks like it takes a lot more time than it actually does.
I’d say that these crepes took only a little more effort than making pancakes so if you’re looking for a new breakfast or brunch alternative, then you should definitely try this recipe out. This recipe wasn’t easy enough to replace my bagel in the morning, but I think it’s perfect for those days when I feel like putting in a little more effort because it’s definitely worth it.
I’ll like the recipe that I referred to down below so that you can try it out if you’re interested. If you do, I’d love to hear how it came out and how you liked it. Also, if anyone has any suggestions for a recipe and/or specific culture they want me to check out for future blog posts please let me know because I’d love to try them out!
Crêpe Bretonne Recipe: https://www.masalaherb.com/galette-bretonne/
History/Cultural Info Source: https://us.france.fr/en/brittany/list/all-you-need-to-know-about-breton-crepes-in-5-minutes
Photo Source: https://jow.fr/recettes/galette-fondue-de-poireaux-et-oeuf-miroir-89e1gm6slbiagvxt0vaf
I really enjoyed this blog! I have been to France once in my life and during my time there, I am sad to say I never ate a crepe! I know, I do not know what I was thinking and I regret my decision severely! However, I have had many crepes in my life! At my high school, I was in the French club and we would always go to this one Crepery shop and I would always get the savory egg, ham, and cheese one! So, this recipe sounds like it would be delicious! I tried to make crepes over winter break and just as you said, my first one was a disaster, but by my third try, I got the hang of it! I am interested to see if you can find any good recipes that include Brie in them! Brie is my favorite French cheese, but I haven’t had it so long! Thanks for sharing this and I look forward to reading your blogs each week! 🙂
Okay wow, super excited about the recipe you posted! Am I good cook or baker? Short answer no, long answer I am willing to try. I honestly think it so interesting how a recipe can such a connection to our personal life and story. I want to try this so bad, I just hope it will come out good. My good family friends are Romanian and are always making crepes. It will be cool to see how they vary in taste, due to the cultural differences. I can’t wait to see everything that is coming up in this blog!
I can already tell not to read you blogs when hungry. This sounded so good and I love how you included the culture behind it. I would love to try it but I am awful at cooking lol maybe one day. I would be interested to see more culturally different recipes! Looking forward to reading more of your blogs!