from the book “mastering the art of french cooking” by julia child, louisette bertholle, simone beck

makes about 10 crepes

for the crepe batter:

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

3 eggs

1 cup milk

¼ cup water

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

3 tablespoons melted butter combined with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

make the crepe batter:

either grab a bowl and a whisk to mix by hand or grab a blender and make the crepe batter.

if using a bowl, combine half the flour, the eggs, milk, water, and salt and 3 tablespoons of melted butter. whisk well, and then gradually add in the remaining flour. it will look like heavy cream.

set aside for an hour before using.

if using a blender combine the flour, the eggs, milk, water, and salt and 3 tablespoons of melted butter. blend at high speed for a few seconds. turn the blender off and scrape down the sides and process again for a few seconds. it will look like heavy cream. pour the batter into a large bowl and set aside for an hour before using.

while the batter is resting in the refrigerator prepare filling of your choice.

make the crepes:

when ready to make the crepes, heat the crepe pan over high heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly. use a pastry brush to lightly brush the surface with the butter/oil combination. with a small ladle pour 2 ounces of the batter onto the hot pan surface. tip the pan so the batter quickly covers the bottom of the pan. the ideal crepe is paper thin, unlike the ideal chef. you may have to do this a few times to get the hang of it. cook the crepe for a minute or so till there is a rim of golden brown around the edge.

turn the crepe with a spatula and cook the other side for about a minute.

slide crepe off onto a large plate, and continue the process with the remaining batter.

fill the crepes:

place a big spoonful of filling on the lower third of each crepe and roll the crepes into cylinders.

filling can be sweet or savory

for savory: sauté in butter, remove to a hot serving dish and sprinkle with parsley. or arrange in a shallow baking dish, cover with your sauce, sprinkle with cheese and brown slowly under a moderate broiler.