I was planning to experiment with more Marcella Hazan recipes this week – she’s become like my fairy godmother for cooking inspiration lately.
At some point I will continue with my original thought, which was to make Marcella’s crespelle, the Italian version of crepes. They’re usually served as a savory meal, layered and stacked into cakes along with cheese, vegetables, meat and other delicious things.
But…I was temporarily distracted after seeing the chocolate pound cake that Laura recently posted on her lovely dessert blog Tutti Dolci. I decided to join the April Chocolate Party hosted by Roxana instead.
So here’s what happened to those crespelle – they turned into buttermilk buckwheat crepes with warm chocolate sauce (this month’s Party theme is chocolate and buttermilk).
Now that strawberries are popping up, I had to include them in what I hope is a long, sweet and “fruitful” season.
Does it seem strange to marinate berries in olive oil? I was inspired while in San Francisco recently, where I had a strawberry brushetta drizzled with it. I think really good oil tastes just right drizzled on ripe fruit, and now look forward to trying all kinds of combinations.
buckwheat crepes with strawberries and chocolate sauce
Ingredients
Chocolate Sauce:
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 ounces chopped dark or semisweet chocolate
Crepes
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup buckwheat flour
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for pan
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons raw, turbinado or granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil – from your best bottle
Instructions
- To make the chocolate sauce, whisk sugar and water together in a small saucepan until dissolved. Bring to a simmer; add the cocoa and salt, whisking to blend. Remove from the heat; add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Cool to room temperature until thickened slightly, or refrigerate until cold (reheat before serving).
- Combine the buttermilk, water, flours, eggs, butter, sugar and salt in a blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the container to incorporate any flour sticking to the side and blend for a few more seconds to mix. Cover the container (or transfer to a bowl) and chill at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Combine the strawberries, sugar and olive oil and let stand 10 minutes or so while making the crepes.
- Heat an 8-inch nonstick pan over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles instantly on the surface.
- Brush the pan with some butter and add enough batter to thinly coat the bottom of the pan - 2 or 3 tablespoons; I use a small ladle - immediately tilting and swirling pan to make an even circle of batter.
- Cook the crepe until the bottom is set and light golden – you can shake the pan a little to see if it slides; if it does, it’s about ready to flip. Turn the crepe over gently with your fingers or small spatula and cook the other side for another minute or two.
- The first crepe is usually a practice one, but congratulations if yours comes out perfectly! Repeat the process with the rest of the batter, stacking crepes and layering with wax or parchment paper as you go.
- Serve crepes topped with strawberries and warm chocolate sauce.
Notes
Crepe recipe adapted from 1997 Joy of Cooking
Hi there! I’m Karen, a mother of two and a professionally trained cook certified in holistic nutrition.
As the recipe developer, photographer and publisher of Familystyle Food, I share recipes and tips for making easy seasonal meals that are healthy and flavorful. Learn more about me here.
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adri says
Che bello piatto davvero! I love crespelle. They are simple and so tasty, not to mention versatile. Somehow cooks everywhere are afraid of them. Good for you for doing your bit to dispel the fears
Marcella Hazan is a titan. It pained me to read her Facebook missives. They always sounded like farewell. I have all of her books, and I have learned so much from her. When I have a question I so often look to her.
Congratulations on a wonderful post. I do not know about the Chocolate Party, but I am willing to wager that when the other bloggers saw your post, they were thrilled you decided to join in the virtual fun!. Alla prossima, amica!
Karen says
Grazie, Adri!
Yes, I followed Marcella on Facebook too, and I worry about her now that she’s not posting. The spirit of her voice is elegance; warm and articulate. It’s hard to think about farewells…
I appreciate your generous compliments, come sempre!
laura (Tutti dolci) says
Beautiful crepes, these would make an indulgent weekend breakfast! So glad you joined the chocolate party and thank you for the link love :).
Karen says
Thank you Laura! And for the inspiration to join the party 🙂
Aimee @ Simple Bites says
Just gorgeous. I am patiently waiting for spring strawberries. When they do arrive, I’m stuffing crepes!
Karen says
Aimee, it’s worth the wait..the early strawberries I’ve had are pretty, but not quite the ripe beauties I look forward to. Happy crepes!
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
I’ve never made crepes before but you totally sold me on it! I need to make these stat!
Karen says
You’ll love ’em – better than pancakes, I think. Almost.
Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today says
Tutti Dolci is one of my favorite blogs. I like crepes in every form 🙂 Nice pictures.
Karen says
Thanks, Marta! Love Tutti Dolci!
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking says
I love making crepes and serving them with fresh fruit and some yogurt. Yours look absolutely amazing!! I can’t wait for the you-pick strawberry season to open!
Thanks for joining Chocolate Party. I hope you’ll party with us again in the future 🙂