Dana Slatkin

When I was little, my mother would make me these for breakfast a few times a week. She called them her Famous Pancakes, staking a claim to a basic crêpe recipe that she must have found in her grease-splattered Joy of Cooking. I remember pulling up a stool to help the minute I saw the flour and eggs on the counter. It was one of the first recipes I learned to master myself, party because there were only three ingredients to remember, and partly because it didn’t involve knives or ovens. (For some reason, cooking over a flame didn’t scare me — a foreshadowing of my destiny?)

The best part about these crêpes is that you can roll them up and eat them without utensils, which came in handy when my brother and I would eat them, dipping them in a puddle of maple syrup, while glued to Saturday morning cartoons. The recipe is flavor-neutral, so you can add a pinch of either salt or sugar, depending on whether you are in the mood for something savory or sweet. Recent fillings that have gone over well around here include cinnamon-sugar, berries and powdered sugar, Nutella, peanut butter and bananas, curried tofu salad with currants and almonds, lightly creamed spinach and mushrooms, and melted mozzarella cheese with diced yellow tomatoes and fresh basil.

When I started experimenting with brown rice flour, I found that not only did the crêpes taste even lighter than the ones I loved as a child, but they were also healthier and gluten-free. Now that this recipe has become a staple in my house, I wanted to share it with all my friends who cook for someone with allergies…and all of you Julia fans who need a quick fix Francais!

For other delicious gluten-free recipes, try Shiitake Mushroom Fries and Summer Corn Puddings.

Makes approx. 8 crêpes

Canola spray

1 cup brown (or white) rice flour

2 eggs (or 1/2 cup egg substitute)

1/2 cup milk (I use 1 percent but any kind will do, including soy)

1/2 cup water

Optional: generous pinch of salt, sugar, or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Heat an 8-inch nonstick omelet pan over medium heat.

2. Meanwhile, place the flour in a medium bowl, make a little well in the middle, and whisk in the eggs and milk. Whisk in the water until the batter is smooth and thin (lumps are okay). At this point, you can refrigerate the batter overnight or proceed with the next steps.

3. Spray the hot pan with cooking spray (you will only need to do this once). Measure out 1/4 cup of batter and pour into the pan, swirling quickly to coat the bottom completely. The crêpes should be paper-thin.

4. Cook for about 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, or until the edges of the crêpe start to brown and come off the pan easily. There should be a light golden tinge to each side of the crêpe.

5. With the flick of your wrist (or using a flexible spatula), flip the crêpe and cook the other side for another 30 seconds or so. Slide it onto a plate, or keep warm in a 200°F oven until ready to serve with desired toppings.