Meat-Stuffed Crêpes (Pork and Beef)

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather all your ingredients. For the filling: I use a mix of ground pork and beef, but you can go all pork, all beef, or ground chicken. Rinse the meat and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut it into small pieces and grind it. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the meat is very lean, grind a small piece of fatback along with it.

2. Step 2:

   

   Peel the onion and cut it into small dice. To keep the onion from stinging your eyes, rinse it—and the knife—in cold water. Pour refined vegetable oil (with a high smoke point) into a skillet and heat it. To check that it's hot enough, dip in a wooden spoon; if bubbles gather around it, you're ready to cook the onion. Sauté, stirring constantly, until translucent.

3. Step 3:

   

   Add the ground meat to the onion. Stir well, breaking up any clumps with the spatula. Cook through over medium heat (about 20 minutes).

4. Step 4:

   

   About 5 minutes before it's done, season with salt to taste.

5. Step 5:

   

   And one little secret: stir 2 tablespoons of sour cream (any fat content) into the meat. The filling comes out even more tender, softer, and more fragrant. Cook another 5 minutes over low heat, then turn off the heat.

6. Step 6:

   

   Now make the crêpe batter. Crack the eggs into a deep bowl—eggs with bright orange yolks give the crêpes a lovely golden color. Add a pinch of salt and whisk until smooth.

7. Step 7:

   

   If you like your crêpes a touch sweet, whisk in a tablespoon of sugar. It's optional.

8. Step 8:

   

   Pour in the milk (at room temperature) and whisk everything together well.

9. Step 9:

   

   Be sure to sift the flour to aerate it. Because flour varies, you may need a bit more or less—go by the consistency of the batter. It should be about as thick as pourable cream.

10. Step 10:

    

    Finally, stir 2 tablespoons of neutral vegetable oil into the batter and mix once more.

11. Step 11:

    

    To avoid lumps, add the flour to the liquid, not the other way around—that gives you a smooth, even batter. Let it rest for 10 minutes so the gluten can develop, which makes the crêpes more pliable.

12. Step 12:

    

    Heat a nonstick crêpe pan (cast iron works too). Before the first crêpe, lightly grease the surface with oil and heat it (you won't need more oil after that—there's plenty in the batter). Ladle in about half a ladle of batter, swirl to coat the pan, and cook. Crêpes cook fast, so stay close and keep an eye on them.

13. Step 13:

    

    Once the crêpe sets on the bottom, flip it and cook the other side just until golden (a couple of seconds). Don't brown them fully—they'll get fried again before serving. If a crêpe comes out too thick, thin the batter with a little more milk; if it's too thin and tearing, whisk in 1–2 tablespoons of flour.

14. Step 14:

    

    Stack the finished crêpes on top of one another.

15. Step 15:

    

    While the crêpes are still warm, fill them. Place 2 tablespoons of the meat filling along one edge.

16. Step 16:

    

    Fold one side over…

17. Step 17:

    

    Fold in both sides so the filling can't slip out.

18. Step 18:

    

    Roll it up into a bundle. Fill and roll the rest the same way and arrange them on a plate.

19. Step 19:

    

    Here's how pretty and neat they come out (see photo).

20. Step 20:

    

    Just before serving, fry the crêpes on both sides in a little butter (clarified is best), covered, until golden. This makes them even tastier.

21. Step 21:

    

    Serve hot with fresh vegetables, herbs, salads, sour cream, or your favorite sauces.

22. Step 22:

    

    Enjoy! Any leftovers can go into a container in the fridge, or into the freezer for longer storage.