This week, we are going to start a new category on our blog about traditional food around the world and for this first time we wanted to of course highlight a French specialty with these easy recipes to cook crepes and buckwheat galettes. 

Every year on February 2^nd in France takes place one of my favorite celebration “Candlemas” (Chandeleur in French). At this occasion we cook crepes.

I have to add that I am from Brittany and for those who know this beautiful part of France located on the west coast, buckwheat galettes and crepes is one of our traditional meals.

So like any self-respecting Breton, I love to cook Crepes and buckwheat Galettes and I wanted to share with you my easy recipes. No need to add that it’s a very friendly party to share with family as well as with your friends and neighbors

#1 Why do we cook “Crepes” for “Candlemas” and what is this holiday for?

This holiday is above all religious. Indeed, it is celebrated every year 40 days after Christmas, the day of the presentation of the infant Jesus at the temple. The name “Candlemas” originally comes from “candles”, traditionally used on this occasion. In churches, they are blessed, come to replace the torches and are kept lit to signify light, purity and ward off evil. The faithful often take one home and display it on their window on February 2nd.

The round shape and the golden color of the crepes represented the solar disk and the return to light. In fact, at the beginning of February, the days are gradually starting to lengthen. The consumption of crepes would therefore be a tribute to the cycle of seasons and more precisely to the arrival of Spring which heralds better days.

This celebration is also accompanied by superstitions. If the peasants did not make crepes on Candlemas, the wheat would be bad the following year. To be sure that the harvest will be good and the finances prosperous, they had to turn over the first pancake by tossing it in the right hand while holding a Louis d’or in the left hand, ensuring that it falls perfectly back into the pan. The pancake was then placed on top of a cabinet.

#2 How to cook crepes?

Recipe for 4 people:

– 1 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour

– 2 cups of cold milk

– 4 eggs

– 1 pinch of salt

– 3 tablespoons of melted butter and 1 tablespoon sugar?(optional, personnaly I add butter during cooking)

Cooking:

– Put the flour in a bowl with the salt and sugar.

– Make a well in the middle and pour the eggs into it.

– Start mixing gently. When the mixture becomes thick, add the cold milk little by little.

– When all the milk is mixed, the dough should be fairly fluid. If it seems too thick, add a little milk. Then add the cooled melted butter, mix well.

– Cook the pancakes in a hot pan (lightly oileded if your pancake pan is not non-stick). Pour a small ladle of dough into the pan, rotate it to distribute the dough over the entire surface. Place on the fire and when the pancake turns light red, it’s time to turn it over.

– Cook for about a minute on this side and the pancake is ready.

Tip: Basically, you can add everything you want inside a crepe. I love the simple Crepe with butter and sugar. But if you are greedy you can add melted chocolate with slices of fresh bananas and sliced almonds previously toasted. Close your crepe and top it with whipped cream. Yummy!

#3 Buckweat Galette (for a gluten free option)

Traditionally, we start our traditional Breton meal with buckwheat Galette where we add salty ingredients like ham, eggs, mushrooms and cheese… But, if you are gluten free, you can also add melted chocolate or fruits to a galette, it’s so tasty!

But first, the recipe:

– 2 2/3 cups of buckwheat flour

– 2 teaspoons of salt

– 3 cup of water

– 1 egg

Cooking:

– In a bowl, combine the flour and coarse salt.

– Using a whisk, pour the water in two or three times, while mixing the preparation. We obtain a smooth and thick paste to which we add an egg to give a nice color to the cooking.

– Film and let stand for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

– Grease the crepe maker (or a pan) with a cotton pad soaked in oil. Pour a ladle of dough, wait for the cake to color to peel it off using a spatula and turn it over. Let it cook for another 1 minute approximately.

– For a complete cake, generously butter the two sides of the cake and place in the center of one of them, ham and grated emmental cheese, then break an egg in the center of the cake.

– Once it starts to cook, season with salt and pepper and fold the edges of the cake so that only the yellow shows.

– It is ready once the egg is cooked enough.

Tips:

One of the most traditional galette is the complete one. To cook it, you need to generously butter the two sides of the galette and place in the center of one of them, ham and grated cheese, then break an egg in the center of the galette. Once it starts to cook, season with salt and pepper and fold the edges of the galette so that only the yellow appears. It is ready once the egg is cooked enough.

But if you want to know my favorite one, add goat cheese and honey until the cheese melts. Fold the galette, add some walnut on top and serve with a mix of green salad, cherries tomatoes and walnut with a balsamic/olive oil dressing .

And for an even more traditional meal, serve your galette and crepe with apple cider.

Post on our Facebook page the pictures of your galette and crepe! And don’t hesitate to share with us your traditional recipes, we would love to highlight them next time. Reach out to us by commenting on this blog or writing to contact@mynabes.com

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