SAVOURY CREPES + Pea Hummus

November 17th, 2021

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The warm spring rain is making the gardens look so green and vibrant as though a filter has been applied to them. I have spread a thick layer of mulch (red clover straw) over the garden beds to keep the weeds at bay, while also locking in the moisture for the growing months ahead.

I have also been busy planting out my first summer crops these last weeks – zucchini, cucumber, outdoor tomatoes, beans, kamo kamo, butternut squash + lots of flowers – all grown from seed, many from my own saved seed (by leaving my healthiest plants to set seed). Even with all this planting, we are still technically in the ‘hunger gap’ time in the garden where the summer crops are still a way off.  Luckily, the salad greens and herbs provide a steady supply to keep meals interesting.

Today I share another regular in our meal rotation, savoury crepes. I use this same crepe batter for both sweet and savoury crepes. I often prepare a double batch, so we can have sweet crepes on Sunday morning and then put the remaining batter into the fridge to make savoury crepes for lunch or dinner on Monday.

Savoury Crepes with Pea Hummus

Buckwheat flour is an authentic addition to crepe batter, in fact, it can be prepared with all buckwheat flour for a gluten-free option (although the name may suggest otherwise, buckwheat is free of gluten). However, it is a stronger-flavoured flour, so I prefer to mellow it with half white flour (I use spelt flour). Or, if buckwheat flour is not available (it can be found at most supermarkets now), replace it with wholemeal flour. The savoury crepes can be filled with any tasty fillings; leftover roast vegetables, sautéed silverbeet, avocado, grated cheese, chopped bacon, mayonnaise, tahini, chutney… plus more suggestions below.

Servings 4

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup (150g) buckwheat or wholemeal flour
• 1 cup (150g) plain white wheat or spelt flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (500ml) milk or water (can use dairy-free milk)
• 3 eggs
• 50 g melted butter or olive oil
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• extra butter or oil for cooking

Crepe filling options

• 300 g button mushrooms fried in butter/olive oil and garlic
• Pea Hummus – recipe below
• salad greens, herbs and sprouts
• sliced red onion
• feta, crumbled

Instructions

• Place the flours and salt into a large bowl. Add the milk and eggs and whisk into a smooth batter. Cover and rest for a minimum of 1 hour at room temperature, or up to 2 days in the fridge.
• When ready to cook the crepes, whisk in the melted butter and baking powder.
• Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a moderate heat. Add a dot of butter or slick of oil and swirl this evenly over the base. Pour in 1/3 cup batter and quickly tip the pan to thinly spread the batter out to the sides. Cook until the batter sets on the surface, then flip and cook until golden on both sides. Transfer the crepe to a plate in a 100ºC oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter.
• Arrange the table with a selection of fillings for a “make your own” savoury crepe affair.

Pea Hummus

Be warned, once you make this vibrant pea hummus, you may not want to make it any other way again. The peas add a sweet freshness, resulting in a light textured hummus. The recipe can also be prepared with cannellini, or butter beans, for an extra smooth condiment.

Servings 3 cups

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 400 g can chickpeas
• 1 ½ cups frozen peas
• 3 tablespoons tahini - optional
• 3-4 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
• 1-2 garlic cloves, peeled
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

• Drain the chickpea liquid (aquafaba) into a jug and reserve. Put the chickpeas, frozen peas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt into a food processor and blend to combine.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved aquafaba, then blend again while drizzling in the olive oil. Scrape down the sides and blend into a smooth spreadable sauce.
• Check the taste, adding extra salt or lemon juice to balance the flavours. Spoon half of the hummus into a bowl for serving, and the other half into a jar for the fridge.
• Use the extra hummus within 4 days as a dip or sandwich spread.