These spinach crepes are really good! They are thin, light, and a great way to use up your sourdough discard in a savory rather than a sweet way. The stuffed crepes also are economical, and, served with a salad, they make a great meal. I usually use chopped, leftover ham and cheese pieces in the crepes, but you can use deli-style ham, if that's what you have. Because I'm often pressed for time in the evenings, I make the crepes ahead--sometimes two or three days in advance--and assemble and bake the complete dish the night I want to serve it. The salty ham and sharp cheddar cheese complement the mild spinach crepes well, and the sauce on top lends creaminess to the dish. Enjoy!
Ham and Cheese Stuffed Sourdough Spinach Crepes -- Serves 4
Spinach Sourdough Crepes
1 cup of sourdough starter/discard
2 large eggs
3 cups (approximately) of spinach
1 teaspoon of minced dried onion flakes
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup of club soda
In a large bowl whisk together well the starter/discard, eggs, onion flakes, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese. Chop the spinach roughly (you'll probably have about a cup when you're finished) and stir it into the mixture. Stir in the club soda well. The batter will be quite thin. Heat a small (6-8-inches) non-stick skillet over medium heat and spray it well with canola oil (or use a paper towel and rub the skillet well with a little canola oil). When the pan is hot add a little less than 1/4 cup of batter to one side of the skillet, then lift the skillet and tilt the pan to distribute the batter evenly. Place the skillet back on the burner and cook the crepe for a few minutes or until the top looks mostly dry. Flip the crepe and cook the second side for a minute or so, then slide the finished crepe onto a plate or piece of waxed paper. Continue the cooking process until you've used all the batter, stacking the crepes between waxed paper to prevent them sticking together. You probably will have more crepes than you need for the stuffed crepes recipe, but the extras will be "cook's treat," or serve them another day.
Ham and Cheese Stuffed Crepes
1 1/2 cups of chopped or cubed ham
1 cup of chopped cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/4 cup of sour cream or yogurt
1 tablespoon of Dijon or grainy mustard
2-3 tablespoons of chopped green onions
10-12 sourdough spinach crepes
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of flour
1 cup of cold milk
2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Spritz a medium-sized baking dish with non-stick spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lay the crepes out on a flat surface and divide the ham and cheese evenly among the crepes, placing the ham and cheese along one side of each crepe. In a bowl or cup mix together well the sour cream, mustard, and chopped onions. Divide the mixture among the crepes, placing a bit atop each mound of ham and cheese. Roll up the crepes with the filling inside (if some of the filling squishes out, just push it back in). Place the crepes, seam-side down, in the baking dish. In a small pan or skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat until it melts and whisk in the flour. Cook the flour for a minute or two, whisking it, until it turns slightly golden. Whisk in the milk and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking all the while. Turn down the heat to medium-low, keep whisking, and add one tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese, a little pepper, and salt to taste. When the sauce has thickened enough to coat the tines of your whisk (a couple of minutes should be plenty of time), turn off the heat and pour the mixture over the filled crepes. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top of the sauce. Bake the crepes for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and browned a bit.
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