Home made crêpes with leeks and cheese filling

A simple but delicious recipe which can be served either as a first dish or as a light main meal. Children-friendly as well, it will make them eat one of the most tasty Winter-time vegetables, the leeks. Better to prepare your own  crêpes of course but good quality store-bought ones will definitely save you some time

Cooked by Vassilis Kalides,
a prominent Head Cook and Food Author

"Cook Book" magazine of "ETHNOS" newspaper

Ingredients (for 4 people)

For the filling:
1 ½ Kg of leeks, medium sliced (both white and green tender part)

300 gr. of Greek Graviera cheese, grated (or mild yellow Cheddar)

2 eggs

150 gr. of Greek Kefalotyri cheese, grated (or Parmesan)

1 cup of single cream

a good pinch of ground nutmeg

black pepper

For the crêpes:

500 ml of milk

3 eggs

5-6 heaped tbsp of all-purpose flour

salt
1 tbsp of corn oil
extra corn oil for the pan

Method:

*** Take the ingredients for the crêpes out of the fridge and leave at room temperature for 1 hour.

In the bowl of a standing mixer beat the flour with the milk, the eggs one at a time, the salt and the corn oil until they come together. Leave the batter aside for 30 minutes to rest.

Warm a non-stick frying pan on high heat, brush with some oil and add 1-2 heaped tablespoons (depending on the size of the pan) of the batter. Then quickly hold it up and swirl so that the batter covers the base of the pan, forming a thin pancake.

Cook on both sides until the crêpe is golden. Continue in the same way until all the batter is used. Transfer the crêpes, one on the top of the other, on a plate and leave aside.

Preheat the oven to 200°C and brush with some butter a pyrex dish.

Put some water in a large frying pan and cook the leeks on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Transfer in a colander, allow to drain as much as possible and then squeeze with your hands.Transfer in a bowl.

Add in the bowl the grated Graviera, season with some pepper and mix thoroughly. Fill each crêpe with the leek/cheese mixture, fold into a roll and transfer into the dish placing one crêpe next to the other in one layer.

In a bowl thoroughly beat the eggs with the cream and a pinch of salt and pour over the crêpes.

Sprinkle on top with the grated Kefalotyri and the nutmeg and put in the middle shelf of the oven.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the crêpes are golden.

Serve while they are still hot.