Buckwheat Crepes with Egg, Ham, Cheese, and Asparagus

1. Stage

Make the crepe batter: In a large bowl, whisk to combine the still water, eggs, and salt.  Gradually whisk in the flour until the batter is smooth and a few bubbles appear on the surface. Whisk in the sparkling water until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight, to allow the flour to fully hydrate. Remove the batter from the refrigerator. It should be much thinner than pancake batter. Add more sparkling water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the batter is slightly thinner than heavy cream.

2. Stage

Cook the asparagus: In a large skillet, bring 1 inch of water and the salt to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.  With tongs, transfer to a cutting board and cut the spears into thirds. Set aside some of the asparagus for garnish and use the rest for the crepe filling.

3. Stage

Cook the first crepe: Set a 10 to 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, and warm until hot. Scrape the end of a stick of butter over the hot pan to lightly coat it.  Ladle in 1/2 cup of the batter and quickly tilt the pan in a circular motion to thinly cover the surface of the pan. If the batter is too thick, it won't spread quickly. Thin the batter with water, a tablespoon or so at a time, and try again with another crepe, or test with a small amount of batter first to make sure it is thin enough. Don't worry if it takes few tries; you should have plenty of batter.  Set the pan back on the burner and decrease the heat to medium. Cook for a few seconds, or until the crepe starts to set. Remove the pan from the heat.

4. Stage

Fill the crepe: Break an egg onto one side of the crepe and use the back of a spoon to spread the egg white so the egg will cook in the time it takes for the cheese to melt.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese around the egg and arrange ham pieces from 1 slice of ham and about 6 pieces of the asparagus around it.  The filling should be on one side of the crepe. If necessary, gently nudge the egg to the middle of one side and use the filling to keep it in place. You will fold the other side over the filling.  Return the pan to low heat. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the egg whites are cooked. The yolk will still be soft.

5. Stage

Fold the crepe: With a flexible rubber spatula, loosen the edges of the crepe all around the pan. Fold the unfilled side over the filling. Slide a large spatula under the crepe and transfer it to a plate. Top with the reserved asparagus for garnish.

6. Stage

Finish cooking and filling the remaining crepes one at a time: Repeat with remaining batter, eggs, ham, cheese, and asparagus to make more crepes.  Serve immediately, or if you want to serve them all at once, keep them in a 200ºF oven while you make the remaining crepes.

7. Stage

Alternate method to make a traditional style square galette complète: Follow the steps above but in Step 4, place the egg in the middle of the crepe. Spread out the white as directed above. Surround the yolk with the cheese, ham, and asparagus. If the egg moves to one side, use your fingers to make a moat of filling around the yolk and gently guide the yolk to the center. When the egg is cooked and the cheese melts, fold the crepe on all 4 sides towards the center to make a square with the yolk peeking out in the middle. Did you love the recipe? Leave us some stars below!