Equipment
Ingredients
Crepe Batter
- 200 g russet potatoes, cooked, peeled, and mashed
- 300 ml whole milk, room temperature
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 4 g fine sea salt
Pan-Frying
- 20 g unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 151 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 16 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 230 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 64 mg
- Potassium
- 186 mg
- Calcium
- 56 mg
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 14 mg
- Phosphorus
- 85 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 80 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.7 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.14 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 15 mcg
- Water
- 65 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a blender, combine the mashed potatoes, whole milk, eggs, all-purpose flour, melted butter, and fine sea salt. Blend on high until completely smooth, ensuring no potato lumps remain.
Allow the batter to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. This hydrates the flour and relaxes the gluten, yielding a more tender crepe that resists tearing.
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add a small piece of the reserved pan-frying butter and swirl to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
Pour about 60ml of batter into the center of the pan, immediately swirling the skillet to spread it into a thin, even circle. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the bottom is golden.
Carefully slide a spatula under the crepe and flip it. Cook for another 30 to 60 seconds on the second side.
Transfer the cooked crepe to a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding a tiny amount of butter to the pan between crepes as needed.
Chef's Notes
- For the smoothest texture, ensure your mashed potatoes are completely free of lumps before adding them to the batter. Passing them through a ricer or fine mesh sieve while hot yields the best results.
- The starch content in the potatoes makes this batter slightly thicker than a traditional crepe batter. If it seems too thick to swirl easily, thin it with an extra tablespoon of milk.
- Clarified butter or a mix of neutral oil and butter can be used for pan-frying to prevent the milk solids from burning over extended cooking sessions.
- This savory base is exceptionally versatile. Try folding in finely chopped soft herbs like fresh chives or tarragon directly into the rested batter before frying.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Stack with parchment paper between each crepe to prevent sticking.
Freezer: 1 month — Wrap the stack tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a lightly buttered skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Crepes tear when attempting to flip
Cause: The crepe was flipped too early before the structure set, or the pan was not hot enough.
Fix: Cannot be fixed for the broken crepe. Scramble the broken pieces like a pancake, and let the next crepe cook 30 seconds longer before flipping.
Prevention: Wait until the edges visibly pull away from the pan and look lacy and dry before attempting to flip.
Cultural Context
Crepes are a cornerstone of French culinary tradition, originally born in the region of Brittany. Incorporating potatoes into the batter is a rustic adaptation that marries the delicate technique of crepe-making with the hearty, grounding nature of the humble potato. Often known as crepes parmentier, these are traditionally served as an appetizer alongside cured meats or simply topped with creme fraiche and fresh herbs.
