Pancetta Ricotta Crepes with Red Pepper Cream by Sommer

When was the last time you ate crepes? Last week? Last month, last year? Ok, when was the last time you made crepes? For some of you, the answer might be never.

Crepes, a French pancake variety, are ultra thin, airy, and best served with sweet or savory fillings folded inside. They are so easy to make, it’s a shame to not give them a try in your own kitchen.

 
 

When I’m out at restaurants, I most often see sweet crepes on the menu for breakfast or as a dessert. However, some of my favorite crepe recipes are savory crepes, filled with vegetables, cheese, and meat.

Savory crepes make elegant weekend breakfast and brunch dishes. If you are trying to impress your guests, crepes are a great way to go. You can also use them to make quick lunch wraps, or with heavier slow-cooked meat for a dinner.

 
 

We recently made pancetta ricotta crepes with red pepper cream, and they were a huge hit! My family loved the combination of warm crepes filled with cool ricotta cheese, crispy pancetta, and fresh arugula.

 
 

Mmmm. Crispy pancetta.

 
 

However, I think what really sets these crepes apart is the sauce. This simple blender sauce is made with just sour cream, one roasted red pepper from a jar, and a little tangy Dijon mustard. Just puree it for a few seconds and you have a luxurious silky crepe topper! (I also love this sauce as a veggie dip.)

 
 

Let’s start making crepes! Whisk a small portion of milk into flour and eggs. Whisk it thoroughly into a smooth thick batter, then slowly whisk in more milk to thin out the batter. Doing it this way will reduce the chances of clumps in the batter.

Refrigerate the batter for at least 30 minutes to allow the gluten in the flour to work its magic. Resting the batter helps create flexible foldable crepes.

 
 

Pour the batter on a hot buttered crepe pan, or a large skillet, and swirl the pan around so the batter forms a large thin circle. Cook until the underside is golden.

 
 

Then gently flip the crepe over and cook on the other side. Usually 1 minute per side is enough time.

 
 

The crepes will should be about the thickness of a tea towel. Opaque, but very thin.

Keep the crepes warm until ready to serve. I usually set my oven on 175ºF to act as a crepe warmer.

 
 

Finally, fill the crepes while they are still warm, so they are pliable and fold easily.

 
 

Pancetta Ricotta Crepes with Red Pepper Cream would make a marvelous Sunday brunch, and you’ll have enough time to practice before Mother’s Day this year. Impress mom with this savory continental favorite!