Buckwheat Crêpes with Cheese, Avocado, Ham & Eggs

This post is sponsored by the California Avocado Commission.

Buckwheat crêpes are naturally gluten free and have a subtle, nutty flavor with a deep color. Crêpes made with buckwheat flour are actually referred to as a Breton galette – and they are traditionally only made with the addition of water and salt. It’s a specialty of the Brittany and Normandy regions of France. For this Americanized version they are served topped with cheese, avocado, ham and eggs.

Buckwheat Crêpes with Cheese, Avocado, Ham & Eggs

Why Buckwheat Crêpes?

One of my close friends has celiac disease so I love coming up with naturally gluten free recipes and finding easy ingredient swaps for her. While many buckwheat crêpe versions still include all-purpose flour, I wanted to stick to a gluten free version. The only issue with that is that the batter can be more difficult to work with. Be sure to use a non-stick skillet to help the cooking process go smoothly. The crêpes can even be made ahead of time and frozen in plastic bags to be reheated in a pan or in the microwave on a plate topped with a damp paper towel.

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Avocado – We’re heading into avocado season in California so I will be topping just about everything with the creamy and versatile fruit (yes, they are actually a fruit) in the coming months! When shopping for avocados, look for ones that are firm but “give” slightly when gently squeezed in your hand. You can also remove the top stem, though I prefer to call it a nub, at the top of the avocado – if you remove it and it is green, it’s most likely ready to eat. If it’s brown then it’s probably overripe.
• Buckwheat flour – This nutty flour is made from ground groats and is used as a gluten free alternative to all-purpose flour. It’s an absorbent flour and can also be found in soba noodles.
• Gruyère – Gruyère is a hard cheese with a nutty, sweet flavor from Switzerland. The fact that it melts well (due to a high water to oil ratio) mixed with t’s distinct flavor makes it the perfect addition to anything from sandwiches to mac and cheese or fondue. If you can’t find Gruyère, I recommend substituting with another Swiss cheese like Emmental.

How to Make Buckwheat Crêpes

For the buckwheat crêpe:

1. Make the batter and chill. Add the buckwheat flour, kosher salt, whole milk and eggs to a blender and pulse until smooth. Cover and chill the batter overnight.
2. Stir the batter. When ready to make the crepes, remove the batter from the fridge and stir.
3. Heat a pan. Heat a crêpe pan or large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and allow to melt, shifting the pan so the butter evenly melts and greases the pan.
4. Cook the crepes. Pour ¼ cup of the batter in the pan, swirling as you pour the batter so that it coats the pan evenly. Cook the crêpe until golden brown and it easily lifts from the pan, about 1 to 2 minutes. Use a spatula to cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes then remove to a plate. Continue with the remaining batter.
5. Keep warm. Stack the crêpes on top of each other and cover with a towel to keep warm.

For assembly:

1. Cook the eggs. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and heat through. Crack eggs into pan working two at a time, and fry until the edges are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Set eggs aside and repeat with the remaining eggs.
2. Assemble and serve. Working one at a time, reheat the crêpes in a dry, non-stick skillet and top with ¼ cup of the shredded gruyere in the middle. Add a slice of the ham and top with one of the fried eggs and avocado. Repeat with the remaining crêpes and ingredients. Garnish with arugula.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Grilled Avocado and Shrimp Salad
• Spiced Cauliflower “Steaks” with Avocado-tomatillo Salsa
• Loaded Everything Bagel Spice Avocado Toast

Buckwheat Crêpes with Cheese, Avocado, Ham & Eggs

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Prep Time 12 hours hrs

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Serves 4

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

For the buckwheat crêpe:

• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1½ cups whole milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For assembly:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 eggs
• 6 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1 pound thinly sliced black forest deli ham
• 1 medium California Avocado, Haas variety, pitted, peeled and sliced
• Handful wild arugula for garnish

Instructions:

For the buckwheat crêpe:

• Add the buckwheat flour, kosher salt, whole milk and eggs to a blender and pulse until smooth. Cover and chill the batter overnight.
• When ready to make the crepes, remove the batter from the fridge and stir.
• Heat a crêpe pan or large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and allow to melt, shifting the pan so the butter evenly melts and greases the pan.
• Pour ¼ cup of the batter in the pan, swirling as you pour the batter so that it coats the pan evenly. Cook the crêpe until golden brown and it easily lifts from the pan, about 1 to 2 minutes. Use a spatula to cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes then remove to a plate. Continue with the remaining batter.
• Stack the crêpes on top of each other and cover with a towel to keep warm.

For assembly:

• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and heat through. Crack eggs into pan working two at a time, and fry until the edges are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Set eggs aside and repeat with the remaining eggs.
• Working one at a time, reheat the crêpes in a dry, non-stick skillet and top with ¼ cup of the shredded gruyere in the middle. Add a slice of the ham and top with one of the fried eggs and avocado. Repeat with the remaining crêpes and ingredients. Garnish with arugula.

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This post is sponsored by California Avocado Commission – all opinions expressed are my own.