Rolled Ups (Crepes) for Mother’s Day
8 May 2009 by Jean JohnsonCrepes if you must, but as in the recipe below from Cooking Beyond Measure (page 38), we just call these easy babies Rolled Ups. Crepes have an aura of being special–and hard to make. Special, yes. But au contraire on the latter.
For those who really think crepes are beyond them, read on or better yet cruise over to the Hillsdale Farmers Market this Sunday at noon. I’ll be in action, and you can have a taste. If you can’t make the market and want a rolled ups class, I’m doing one in June at Whole Foods Market in The Pearl as part of their “You Don’t Have to be Gourmet to Eat Well” series. (Date TBA on the Where’s Jean page.)
In the meantime here you go, straight from Beyond Measure:
Rolled Up Pancakes
They’re called crepes today, but when I was growing up we just called them rolled ups. Mom made them on weekends because although they are easy, they do take time. If you give these a try and get some confidence going, know that they’re great for corralling cooked vegetables as well.
Recipe Note Dreamland film
Beat in one egg for every cup of milk you use. Sprinkle in a little whole wheat pastry flour at a time and whisk. The goal is a silky batter comparable to a thin gravy. Add a pinch of salt and some vanilla, and let it set ten minutes or so.
Bring your pan up to medium heat and oil with a dab of butter. Then get ready to be quick on the draw. Ladle on some batter, very quickly lift the griddle, and swirl the batter around to coat the surface. Cook until the edges start to lift. Flip the thin pancake so the other side gets golden brown as well.
Details
~Mom, and Aunt Kirsten Wilson who was also known for her rolled ups, used white flour for theirs. But once I got swept up in the late-1960s and its Appetite for Change—a phrase coined by Warren Belasco as the title for his book on “how the counterculture took on the food industry”—I’ve favored whole wheat pastry flour.
~Buckwheat flour also works as the world of blini makers well know. Actually, finely ground flours from the range of whole grains will work in rolled ups: cornmeal masa, quinoa, brown rice, millet, you name it.
~The secret to rolled ups is being quick once the batter hits the griddle. It takes some practice, so expect rolled ups that look more like maps than perfect discs at first. Even these, though, will work since the edges are hidden once you roll them.
~It’s often the case that you have to go back and add more milk or flour to get a batter that flows just right. With patience, though, you’ll find that making this special breakfast is not hard—only so time consuming that if you’re cooking for a crowd you’ll inevitably want to get two griddles going.
~When I was young we ate rolled ups with butter and sugar, but these days a filling of warmed poached fruit and cottage cream sends me over the top. Sometimes I’ll even go for pear wedges and beanpaste (p. 33). Then again, there’s the Scandinavian way that Aunt Kirsten favored: butter and raspberry jam—or the more traditional lingonberry.
On Learning Curves
If rolled-ups sound daunting to you, all you have to remember is to make them the next time grandpa’s around. Then just whisper to him that no matter how they turn out, he’s supposed to ooh and ahhh. That’s what they do in Hopiland. Cooks learning to make piki bread, something much more difficult than rolled-ups, always present their first efforts to grandpa. That’s the patriarch’s cue to tell the fledgling cook how delicious her creation is and eat the offering with great delight, even if it’s thick and the ladies are teasing her about how it looks a map.
On the Griddle
There’s nothing like a cast iron griddle. Not only does it carry heat that cooks evenly and browns beautifully, all there is to cleaning is a quick wipe with a cloth. Between my griddle and cast iron wok, each of which have staked out rather permanent claims on the stove top, there is little washing of pots and pans going on in my kitchen.
9 Responses to “Rolled Ups (Crepes) for Mother’s Day”
The first thing I made from your cookbook was the crepes rolled up. They were so good I tried them again with Hopi Blue Flour Corn. This was really special. I sent you some blue flour. Did you receive it? Bob
By Bob Goforth on May 8, 2009
I did get the blue flour, Bob. A flash from my days out in Hopiland. I’ll definitely be trying it out on Sunday. Have you tried yellow corn flour (masa) as well? That’s pretty spiff for rolled ups.
I also made some blue corn waffles from the batch of flour you sent. So good that it’s going into book 2, Hippie Kitchen.
Was waiting until I got the recipe written up and the photos done so I could enclose them in a note thanking you for the flour. But, hey, it’s only months from the book coming out. So I’ll send you that instead.
How does yours and Beth’s garden grow? I have kale, cabbage, radishes, spring onions, and bunched of herbs that I’ve had fun lately.
All best, Jeannie
By Jean Johnson on May 8, 2009
This sounds so good I might try it this weekend. Too bad we are in between fruit seasons here in the Pacific NW. Perhaps I will try rhubarb and cottage cream as a filling.
By Ruby on May 16, 2009
Cool, Ruby–and love your seasonal approach. We’re still eating pears from last year’s crop. That and eying the blossoms on the strawberry plants.
That said, I did get a mango recently and played around with that and rhubarb. Nice combo. Also the early apricots are in from California.
Anyhow, if you feel like it, let us know how things turn out.
By Jean Johnson on May 16, 2009
We will try these with berries this weekend. Thanks. I love the grandpa story. It would work in our family, as my dad is a soft-hearted gourmet who dotes on my daughter.
By Anne on May 23, 2009
Good luck, Anne. Crepes are pretty fun–perhaps even more so when they turn out like maps.
Laurie, a friend, tried them and wrote this note: “made your roll-ups for a mothers day brunch at my house for family!”
No complaints so I guessed they worked out.
Cheers, J
By Jean Johnson on May 23, 2009
Bob actually wrote me a snail mail letter when he sent the blue corn flour and seeds to try out this summer. Here’s what he said:
Hi Jean, We love your book. I have been sharing it with everyone I see. Even Mac [my ex-husband] was pointing out things to me. He’s proud of you. [At long last,he lets it show.]
If the point of a cookbook is to get people cooking, you have succeeded. I first saw the Rolled Up Pancakes and was hungry, so I made some. Then I remembered the part about other grains, so I made some more with Hopi Blue Corn Flour. Umm!
While searching for more blue corn to grind I found that what I had was Hopi Blue Flour. This stuff just does not grind into polenta! Also I was not able to find blue corn flour in the natural food stores, so I plan to grow some this summer. Bob
~~Since Bob sent the blue corn seeds, I’m going to try them in the garden. Not sure, though, if we have enough heat like Hopiland to grow this corn. I guess if we can raise sweet corn, we can get a crop of blue out.
By Jean Johnson on May 23, 2009
Everyone seems to love Rolled Ups. Here’s what Kate wrote from Vancouver, BC:
Hello Jean,
Thank you for the cooking tips in your Measure Free Newsletter.
I made “rool -up” or “palacsintas”, as we call it in my Hungarian language for my family for years.
I will look for your book in our Kitsilano Capers Book store and get new ideas for easy cooking at home.
Thanks again.
Kate
By Jean Johnson on May 23, 2009
Hi Jean,
These rollups look wonderful. I found a place abit from me that is Amish owned and sells all kinds of bulk flours, oats, vegs, spices etc. Gonna try these crepes with some fresh berries and real cream. Sounds great for mothers day, though I’ll be making them for myself. Still a treat.. Love your pages. You give out the best ideas… <3
By Sherry Bobersky on Apr 15, 2011