I like crepes more than pancakes since they are much lighter. This is a take on the well-known atayef bil ashta, which is basically a mini crepe folded in half, filled with clotted cream and drizzled with rose-flavored syrup. For a lighter option, use ricotta cheese. This is a great breakfast dish, with which I like to serve mangoes or strawberries. When in season, figs or apricots are a delicious alternative.
MAKES: 15 crepes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup flour
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- 1⅓ cups milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup ground pistachios
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp orange blossom water
- ¼ cup clarified butter
- 2 ripe mangoes
- 1 cup rose syrup
RICOTTA FILLING:
- 1 lb ricotta cheese
- zest of 1 orange
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup pistachios, chopped, reserving some for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Peel and slice the mangoes and put aside.
- Mix the ricotta cheese, orange zest, honey and nuts and keep in the fridge while you make the crepes.
- To make the crepe batter, put flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the eggs and whisk well. Stir in half the milk to incorporate, then add the rest of the milk and cream to make a creamy batter. Stir in the pistachios and leave to rest for at least 1 hour.
- Add the vanilla and orange blossom water and stir to mix. Brush a crepe pan or any nonstick frying pan lightly with clarified butter and heat.
- Using a ladle, pour a little batter and tilt the pan to cover thinly. Cook for 1 minute until little holes appear and turn over to cook for half a minute more. Place the cooked crepes on a platter, stacking them with wax paper separating the layers.
- Place some filling and a few slices of mango in the middle of each crepe and fold twice. Drizzle with rose syrup and garnish with chopped pistachio nuts. Serve.
