Candlemas Crêpes
By Angela
French recipes arrived in the Pellegrino household thanks to Josephine Despagne, her mother Berte – known as Bon Mamà – and her cousin Janette Batelot, who used to spend her summer holidays in Marsala. Every time we make crêpes in the family, we have vivid memories of Grandma Lina with her large iron frying pan, quickly spreading the batter with nimble movements of her wrist.
To grease the pan, she used a fork covered with cloth, which she dipped into a bowl filled with melted butter. I remember well the mountain of crêpes stacked up, which immediately made our mouths water. It was customary in the Pellegrino household to make crêpes on Candlemas Day.
French tradition said that eating crêpes would ensure a good year, so everyone, young and old, took part in this festive and auspicious ritual, which still continues in our home today.
ingredients for 4 persons
250 ml milk
Salt to taste
25 g sugar
2 eggs
125 g flour
30 g melted butter
3 cl Grand Marnier
1 orange
preparation
Pour 2/3 of the milk into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, the sugar, eggs and flour, and beat all the ingredients with a whisk.
At this point, add the remaining milk, melted butter and Grand Marnier, and flavour with the grated zest of an orange. Leave the mixture to rest for an hour. Then cook the crêpes in a lightly buttered non-stick frying pan, using a ladle. Place the cooked crêpes on a serving dish and keep them warm.
You can serve the crêpes with whatever you like, but Grandma Lina used to serve them to children with custard and to adults flambéed with Grand Marnier.
Pair with a glass of Old John Marsala Superiore Riserva Amber Semi-Secco.
ingredients for 4 people
250 ml milk
Salt to taste
25 g sugar
2 eggs
125 g flour
30 g melted butter
3 cl Grand Marnier
1 orange
preparation
Pour 2/3 of the milk into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, the sugar, eggs and flour, and beat all the ingredients with a whisk.
At this point, add the remaining milk, melted butter and Grand Marnier, and flavour with the grated zest of an orange. Leave the mixture to rest for an hour. Then cook the crêpes in a lightly buttered non-stick frying pan, using a ladle. Place the cooked crêpes on a serving dish and keep them warm.
You can serve the crêpes with whatever you like, but Grandma Lina used to serve them to children with custard and to adults flambéed with Grand Marnier.
Pair with a glass of Old John Marsala Superiore Riserva Amber Semi-Secco.
