Buckwheat Crepes

Buckwheat Crêpes

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These nutty, savory crêpes from the Brittany region of France are topped with ham, Gruyére, and a sunny-side-up egg.

Marianne Williams

Published on August 15, 2023

Tested by

Catherine Jessee

Buckwheat Crepes — Photo:
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Active Time:

1 hr

Total Time:

1 hr

Servings:

6 servings

These buckwheat crêpes come from the Brittany region of France, which is famous for its food, especially the seafood, butter, salt, cider, and crêpes. These crêpes, called galettes de sarrasin in French, are made with buckwheat flour, and topped with ham, cheese, and a sunny-side-up egg.

Frequently asked questions

What is buckwheat flour?

Despite its name, buckwheat flour does not contain any wheat or gluten, and it does not fall under the category of grains. Buckwheat is a seed that is ground into flour; it has a nutty flavor and deep, rich brown color.

Can you make these crêpes gluten-free?

If you like, swap out the all-purpose flour for more buckwheat flour to make these crêpes gluten free. Just keep in mind that the buckwheat flavor will be more pronounced and the crêpes will be darker in color.

How do you make crêpes for a crowd?

You can make crêpe batter the night before you need to use it; just whisk it before cooking the crêpes. Cooked crêpes can be frozen; place a piece of parchment paper in between each crêpe so they don't stick together and thaw them before using.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Make sure you use very thinly sliced ham for these crêpes, and if you can, source cave-aged Gruyére, which has a more robust flavor than other varieties. We found that the buckwheat crêpe batter is easy to work with, and the nuttiness of the buckwheat really comes through in the crêpes, which are tender but have a nice chew at the same time. They’re subtly buttery with a hint of salt and work as a nice base for the nutty Gruyére, salty ham, and runny egg.

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Ingredients

2 cups whole milk
1 cup (about 5 ounces) buckwheat flour
1/3 cup (about 1 3/8 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
14 large eggs
Cooking spray
6 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
12 thin deli ham slices, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives
Flaky sea salt

Directions

Process milk, buckwheat flour, all-purpose flour, butter, salt, and 2 of the eggs in a blender on high speed until completely smooth, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape down sides of blender as necessary. Set crêpe batter aside.
Place a 9 1/2-inch crêpe pan or 10-inch shallow nonstick skillet over medium, and coat with cooking spray. Working in 4 batches, crack 3 of the eggs into crêpe pan, and cook, undisturbed, until whites are set, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer eggs to a plate, and wipe skillet clean; repeat with remaining eggs.
Heat crêpe pan or 10-inch shallow nonstick skillet over medium; coat with cooking spray. Add 1/4 cup crêpe batter to crêpe pan, and immediately swirl pan to fully cover bottom. Cook until edges are set and top of crêpe becomes matte, about 20 seconds. Use a nonstick spatula to lift edges of crêpe, and quickly and carefully flip using fingers or spatula. Cook until set on bottom, about 20 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons of the Gruyère to center of crêpe, leaving a 1-inch border around edges. Top with 1 of the cooked eggs and 2 pieces of the ham, arranging and overlapping with egg as desired.
Using a small metal spatula, carefully fold edges of crêpe over filling by 1-inch to create a rectangle or pentagon, leaving yolk of egg and some ham exposed. Gently press edges using spatula to seal. Top evenly with chives, and garnish with flaky salt; serve immediately. Repeat process with remaining batter and fillings.