Baked Crepes with Sun-Dried Tomato Sausage & Zucchini

These savory baked crepes are stuffed with sausages, mascarpone and zucchini. They are fantastic for brunch or dinner!

The summer of 1986 was one to remember. I was fifteen years old and the World Exposition had taken over a large chunk of prime waterfront land in downtown Vancouver. My dear friend, J. and I clambered on the bus whenever we could, Expo passes clutched in our hands, filled with anticipation of our day exploring the international venues, sampling various foods (waffles, crepes, curries), and checking out any cute teenaged boys that wandered across our paths. Come on, we were fifteen. That's what teenaged girls do. And besides, we were just doing our part to promote international diplomacy. To this day, because J. and I are still close friends, we joke about the various names we gave to the unsuspecting objects of our admiration - "black tank top boy" and "red baseball cap boy" were at the top of our discerning list.

As we often craved something sweet during our adventures, the French pavilion became one of our favorite haunts. No matter what time of day we visited, we found the chefs diligently filling any number of thin, tender pancakes with a range of savory and sweet fillings. As the crepe batter hit the large, circular cast-iron griddle, it sizzled and bubbled to form a paper-thin wrap. Spoonfuls of strawberry or blackberry cream filling, or spatulas laden with creamy Nutella were smeared onto the crepes, which were then quickly rolled into thin batons. Our first bites were always taken in reverential silence, as our lips wrapped around the still-warm crepes and our teeth sank through the sweet, soft filling.

While crepes are often thought of as a dessert or sweet breakfast treat, they work beautifully as a savory brunch or dinner dish. Whether filling them with leftovers, such as ham and asparagus, or conjuring up a mixture of gourmet sausages, zucchini, and mascarpone cheese, crepes are a surprisingly easy meal because the they can be made ahead. When wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a ziploc bag, crepes can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to two months. When ready to use, let the crepes defrost at room temperature, remove the plastic wrap, and wrap the pile of crepes in aluminum foil. Place in a 325 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, then separate and fill the crepes.

In this recipe, I used a mixture of chickpea (garbanzo bean), which can be found in health food and Indian food stores, and all-purpose flours. If you prefer to leave out the chickpea flour, use a total of 1 cup of all-purpose flour.

How to make baked crepes

In a blender, combine eggs, flours, milk, water, salt, and melted butter.

Puree for about 10 seconds. Scrape down sides, then puree for additional 15 to 20 seconds, or until mixture is smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

Remove the crepe batter from the fridge and stir. Heat a 9- or 10-inch nonstick crepe pan over medium-high heat. Lift the pan from the heat, pour ¼ cup crepe batter onto the pan in a circular motion, and swirl to evenly coat the pan. Place the pan back on the heat and cook until the center of the crepe is almost dry and the edges are lightly browned.

Using a spatula, flip the crepe and cook for additional 15 seconds. Remove from the pan, and place on a clean kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining batter until there are 8 crepes.

How to make savory crepe filling

Heat olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat.

Add shallots and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add sausages and cook, stirring occasionally, until sausages start to brown. Add zucchini slices and cook until they are just tender. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, stir together mascarpone cheese and egg until combined. Stir in sausage mixture, basil, and hazelnuts.

Using 8 crepes, arrange ⅓ cup filling down the center of each crepe. Roll and lay side-by-side in a greased 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Brush the tops of the crepes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.

(Make ahead: At this point, the crepes can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Let the crepes rest for at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake until the crepes are heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Other crepe recipes

Tarragon Crepes with Ham, Asparagus & Mascarpone Cheese
2-Ingredient Crepes
Buckwheat Crepes with Blended Berry Yogurt

Printable Recipe

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