French Ham, Cheese and Egg Crepes

One of my favorite food memories of David's and my honeymoon (almost 20 years ago) in Paris is the street vendors' handmade crepes with ham, cheese and sometimes egg....They were the best!  AND there's nothing like eating a crepe while walking the streets of France with the one you love most....truly heaven on earth!  The street crepes, while sweet options were available, our favorite were their savory incarnations.  One might assume the fillings would be added after the crepe was cooked. Instead, they were cooked right on  the crepe itself...even the egg! 


To make these crepes, you need a large frying pan, preferably one that’s about 12-inches across. I used deli sliced ham and Swiss cheese for these.  Havarti and Swiss are my two favorite cheeses for these, but feel free to use your favorite sliced or shredded cheese. The amounts given below are just suggestions, as I tend to eyeball the amount of cheese I’m using. No matter how you tweak the filling, you’ll end up with a great-tasting crepe. The batter can me made in advance and will keep well in the fridge for about 2 days, as long as you give it a stir before using. Or again, I made it easy on myself and used the ready made crepes I found in the produce section of our grocery store.  Bon Appetit!



French Ham, Cheese and Egg Crepes

1 1/3 cups milk (I use low fat)
2/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk until very smooth. This can also be done in a food processor. Set batter aside to rest for about 15 minutes before using. Batter can also be covered and refrigerated for up to two days.

For Filling, per crepe:

1 large egg
approx. 2-oz Havarti or Swiss cheese
approx. 1 or 2-oz Ham

Add some butter or nonstick spray to a large frying pan (about 12-inches) and heat over high heat. Pour about 1/3 cup crepe batter into the pan and tilt the pan to swirl it around and coat it with a single, even layer. Once the first side cooks, flip the crepe and crack an egg right on top.

Use a fork to gently break the egg yolk, give the egg a gentle whisk and spread it evenly all over the crepe. If you’re worried about hitting the crepe during this step, you can scramble the egg in a bowl and pour it into the center of the crepe, the spread it around. Allow crepe to continue cooking until egg is set. Season with pepper, if desired.

Spread a layer of cheese over half of the crepe. Allow it to melt for about 30-60 seconds.
 
Add a layer of ham on top of the cheese. You can use either a single layer of ham or pile up two thin layers.

Fold crepes in half, covering the ham and cheese side of the crepe with the side that only has egg on it. Fold crepe in half again, making a finished crepe that is 1/4 circle in area and packed with many layers of crepe, cheese, ham and egg.

Serve immediately, either on a plate or wrapped up in a couple of paper towels if you want to brave the hot cheese and eat it “street-style: and start on a second. Skillet heat may need to be lowered slightly for subsequent crepes, but crepes should be nicely browned when finished.

Makes 6 large crepes (8 if using a smaller pan)