Savory tuna crepes with mushrooms & mozzarella
By Tali Simon | January 3, 2013
This recipe first appeared in the Aug. 27, 2012 edition of “From Tali’s Kitchen,” my biweekly cooking column in Binah magazine.
I shouldn’t say this, but I’m going to say it anyway: These crepes are one of the best things I’ve ever made. I shouldn’t say it because it sounds so cliche. Also because it’s not the first time I’ve raved about a dish, and it won’t be the last. But I’m serious. There’s just something about these crepes!
Are you afraid of making crepes? Sounds too fancy? Too time-consuming? I’m telling you, it’s really, really not like that. There’s nothing even remotely fancy in this ingredient list, and they cook up in just seconds in the pan. Plus, as long as you use a nonstick skillet, they’ll be easy to flip.
Really, the only good excuse you could have for not making crepes is that you have a squiggly little infant on your hands. I would totally be making these right now, but yeah. That’s my excuse! (It’s okay, he’s worth it.)
So where were we? Right, crepes being easy. You grab a cooled crepe, plop a few spoonfuls of sauteed mushrooms, mozzarella, and tuna in the middle, and fold the left side in toward the center. Then down goes the top and up goes the bottom.
Then roll the whole thing to the right, and you’ll have yourself a nice fat crepe. Fat is good! You want fat crepes. It means they’re full of delicious things.
With these crepes, though, it’s not only the inside that’s delicious. I added minced garlic and a sprinkle of thyme to the crepe batter, and they ratchet up the flavor significantly. No boring crepes around here, let me tell you.
Once they’re filled, the only thing left to do is get them back in the pan for a few minutes to sizzle in browning butter. It’s the best-possible send-off, and since these are dairy anyway, there’s no reason to skip the butter.
Please. Promise me you won’t skip the butter. See those crispy, buttery, browned tops? You want those.
Oh, and you also want some sour cream and sauteed mushrooms and extra thyme for the topping. Don’t forget it.
One year ago: Lace cookies
Yield: 8-10 crepes
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 2 (5.6-oz.) cans tuna
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 (6-oz.) cartons mushrooms
- 1 cup sour cream
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, water, milk, eggs, oil, garlic, salt, and thyme.
2. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and melt 1 Tbsp butter. Pour ¼ cup of batter into the pan, and immediately tilt gently so it covers the bottom in a thin layer. Let cook 1 minute, or until the edges are dry. Use a wide spatula to flip and cook on the second side for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and repeat until all batter is used. Melt a second tablespoon of butter after the first four crepes to keep the pan greased.
3. Place a spoonful of cheese in the center of each crepe, shaping the cheese vertically and leaving a bit of space at the top and bottom. Top with a spoonful each of tuna and mushrooms, followed by a final sprinkling of cheese. (Reserve a packed ¼ cup of mushrooms for the topping.)
4. Fold the left side of each crepe toward its center to cover the filling. Fold in the top and bottom, then roll the whole thing to the right to complete the crepe shape.
5. Melt the last two tablespoons of butter in the skillet and carefully transfer crepes to the pan (in batches, if needed). Let the crepes sizzle in the butter over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, flipping gently in between.
6. Cool 2 minutes. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a spoonful of mushrooms, and a dash of thyme, and serve.
6 Comments
Abigail on January 3, 2013 at 11:35 am.
Can I have one now please without the mushrooms?? Look so good!
stephanie/the kosher foodies on January 3, 2013 at 4:39 pm.
these are so pretty! i’ve always been scared of making crepes, but crepe cake is on my 2013 to-do list!
Tali Simon on January 3, 2013 at 5:14 pm.
Crepe cake is on my list, too. Race you!
jessica (the kosher foodies) on January 4, 2013 at 4:59 am.
beautiful! i’ve never made crepes before. what an interesting way to serve them.
me on January 5, 2013 at 2:55 pm.
that sounds wonderfully easy. i usually make crepes with a spinach or mushroom filling, but tuna and cheese sounds great. will try out those! with a little extra tomato, maybe? or italian herbs in the batter? or…?
Tali Simon on January 6, 2013 at 3:48 pm.
You got it — these are totally adaptable.