BUCKWHEAT CREPES WITH ASPARAGUS, HAM AND GRUYèRE

Buckwheat Crepes With Asparagus, Ham and Gruyère image

In Brittany, large buckwheat crepes are known as galettes and are filled with all sorts of savory ingredients. A classic one is made with ham and cheese. This scaled-down rendition adds sweet asparagus, which goes well with the nutty flavor of buckwheat flour. Traditionally they are served with a glass of sparkling cider. Have them as a first course or alongside fried eggs for a more substantial meal.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories brunch, pancakes, main course

Time 3h

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

1 cup/120 grams buckwheat flour
1/2 cup/60 grams all-purpose flour
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons butter, plus more for pan
1 1/2 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed and bottom parts peeled, if desired
6 cooked ham slices
2 cups grated Gruyère or Comté cheese

Steps:

Make the batter: Whisk together flours, eggs, buttermilk and salt until well combined. Put the batter in the fridge for at least 2 hours or, preferably, overnight. If necessary, thin batter with a little more buttermilk or water, to the consistency of heavy cream.
Heat a crepe pan or well-seasoned cast iron skillet, about 8 inches in diameter, over medium-high heat. Use a piece of paper towel to rub a little butter in the pan, then quickly ladle in about 1/4 cup of batter. Swirl the pan to spread the batter all the way to the perimeter. Let crepe brown on one side for a minute or so, until crisp. Flip it over with a spatula (or carefully with your fingers) and cook one minute more. Don't worry about browning the second side. Adjust heat if crepe browns too quickly; the pan needn't be scorching hot. Remove from heat if crepe is cooking too quickly.
Remove the crepe from the pan and set it aside while you continue to make 5 more. Stack crepes on top of each other as they are finished. (Crepes may be made in advance.)
Bring a medium pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the asparagus for 2 minutes, or just until it is firm-tender, then drain and spread on a clean kitchen towel to cool.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Fill the crepes by laying each one top-side down, place a slice of ham on top, sprinkle generously with cheese, and lay 3 asparagus spears on top, off to one side. Fold over to make a half-moon.
Put the filled crepes in one layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little melted butter, then bake until they are crisp and the cheese is melted, about 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 449, UnsaturatedFat 9 grams, Carbohydrate 32 grams, Fat 24 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 29 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 854 milligrams, Sugar 8 grams, TransFat 0 grams