028 / 75 · Good Dinner after Training
Beef, Mushroom and Gruyere Stuffed Crepes
4 filled crepes;2 per serving with half of all beef-mushroom filling and cheese · Active 45 min · Cook 50 min · Total 1 hr 20 min
Print recipe · PDFThin homemade crepes wrap a browned beef-and-mushroom filling, with a measured layer of Gruyere melting over the tops. The crepes are tender rather than crisp, and a short oven finish brings the rolls together. This is a dinner for an evening with a little cooking time, not a recipe that starts with an invisible stack of ready-made pancakes.
Rest the batter while the filling cooks
A short batter rest gives the flour time to hydrate and lets bubbles settle. Whisk the egg and milk first, then work in flour and the small measured share of oil. The batter should run thinly across the hot pan. Divide it by weight into four portions before cooking, rather than pouring a generous first crepe and leaving too little for the fourth. A 10-inch/25 cm pan with a broad flat cooking base produces a wrap wide enough for the filling; a tiny omelette pan makes a different shape.
Reduce mushroom liquid before enclosing it
Finely chopped mushrooms and onion release water as they cook. Give them time before adding the beef, and use a wide skillet so the liquid can evaporate. Brown the ground meat fully, breaking it into small pieces, then add tomato paste and measured water. The final filling should be moist enough to spoon but should not leave a puddle when pushed aside. If it is wet, keep simmering before filling the crepes. The oven stage melts cheese and heats assembled rolls; it is not a substitute for cooking raw ground beef safely.
Roll loosely and line up the seams
Put one quarter of the warm filling across the center of each crepe, fold the sides in slightly and roll without pulling the tender pancake tight. A loose wrap accommodates the filling without tearing. Place the seam underneath so it stays closed in the dish. Divide all the cheese over the four rolls rather than adding handfuls until they disappear beneath it. Two rolls make a generous dinner serving. If packing another meal, divide into its final portions after a short rest, then cool promptly so a deep covered dish does not stay warm all evening.
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 oz all-purpose flour (80 g)
- About 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon 2% milk (200 ml; use 200 g for the estimate)
- 1 large egg, without shell (50 g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml/13.5 g), divided
- 8 3/4 oz 90%-lean ground beef (250 g)
- 8 3/4 oz cremini mushrooms, finely chopped (250 g)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (80 g)
- 1 garlic clove, minced (3 g)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (16 g)
- 1/3 cup water (80 ml/80 g)
- A small pinch ground nutmeg (0.25 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g), divided
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (0.5 g)
- 2 1/8 oz Gruyere, finely grated (60 g)
Set out
Kitchen scale, measuring jug, whisk and mixing bowl, 10-inch/25 cm nonstick crepe pan with flat cooking base about 9 inches/23 cm or larger, 12-inch/30 cm skillet for filling, Clean plate for cooked crepes, broad spatula and pastry brush, Baking dish with usable base at least 12×9 inches/30×23 cm and 2 inches/5 cm sides, Food thermometer
Allergens
Wheat, Milk, Egg. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Whisk milk and egg in the bowl, then whisk in flour,1 teaspoon/5 ml oil and one third of the salt until smooth. Rest for 15 minutes while making the filling. Heat oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Heat 1 teaspoon/5 ml oil in the large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms and onion for 10–12 minutes, stirring, until softened and loose liquid evaporates. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add beef and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking into small pieces, until browned and the meat reaches 160°F/71°C. Check a gathered thick portion with a thin-tip thermometer.
- Stir tomato paste, nutmeg, remaining salt and all the black pepper into the beef for 1 minute. Add the measured water and simmer for 3–4 minutes until moist but not soupy. Remove from the heat and divide into four equal filling portions.
- Stir the rested crepe batter and weigh it. Divide into four equal portions, about 84 g each. Heat the crepe pan over medium heat. Use the remaining 1 teaspoon/5 ml oil to brush the pan lightly across all four crepes. Pour one portion into the pan, immediately tilting to spread it over the broad base. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the surface is set and the underside lightly golden. Turn and cook for another 30–60 seconds. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat.
- Divide filling among the four crepes, fold the side edges slightly in and roll loosely. Set seam-side down in the baking dish in one layer. Divide all Gruyere over the tops. Bake for 10–12 minutes until the cheese melts and centers reach 165°F/74°C. Rest for 3 minutes and serve two rolls per person.
Make the count work for a second meal
Four rolls make the portions visible: two for tonight and two for another meal if cooking for one. Keep the second portion in a shallow container, and allow enough space to check its center temperature on reheating instead of relying on melted cheese at the edges.
A useful detail
The four crepes start from scratch and their 15-minute batter rest is included. Oil 15 ml is divided into 5 ml batter,5 ml filling and 5 ml crepe-pan brushing. The estimate counts the full 250 g raw 90%-lean beef and all pan contents; no fat is drained away.
Another way
- Replace the 60 g Gruyere with 60 g grated Swiss cheese for a milder finish.
- Replace the 250 g ground beef with 250 g 93%-lean ground turkey, cooking the filling to 165°F/74°C before rolling. Variations change the estimate.
Keep it well
After the short serving rest, place saved portions in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. Keep at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat covered until each roll's center reaches 165°F/74°C; uncover briefly at the end if desired. Freeze promptly for up to 2 months and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.