Chestnut Crêpe with Tea Poached Pears

Snowy weekend mornings definitely demand some sort of comfort breakfast, most winter mornings a hearty bowl of oatmeal does the trick for me, but weekends a little elaborate, a little indulgent breakfast specially after a well worked out morning in the gym deserves these comforting chestnut crêpes with tea poached pears. Inspired by Northern Italy, where autumn/winter is all about castagnata, picking chestnuts in the Tuscan woods and roasting them gathered around a fire is just how they do it there. Back in Northern California we have been experiencing some rather blustery winter days and I’m in a mood to improvise those Tuscan winters. Chestnuts are not as popular in America as Italy, I do see them preroasted in jars right around Christmas and then they’re gone. Surprisingly there are chestnuts trees in California but for some reason it has not caught on in the U.S.

I bought a bag of chestnut flour on my trip to Italy back in later summer, however they’re available online or specialty Italian stores like Eataly. I recommend check around before you buy, the prices vary considerably online. Also, note chestnut flour (tree chestnut) is totally different from water chestnuts, water chestnuts, also called singoda flour is used as thickeners. Look for chestnut flour!

Making these crepes is not that hard, they don’t have to be perfect like the French crepes, a little imperfection is okay because we are serving them folded with caramelized pears, tea syrup side, toasted walnuts and roasted chestnuts. Tea poaching produces buttery, caramelized pears, light tea syrup that is perfect to sweeten the crepes. Hope you give these special crepes a try. Enjoy!

Chestnut Crêpe with Tea Poached Pears

Ingredients

• 2 cups chestnut flour
• 1 tablespoon raw or coconut sugar
• 2 large fresh eggs, organic pasture raised preferably
• 1 cup almond milk, you may need less
• ¼ cup walnuts, toasted
• ½ cup roasted chestnuts, optional
• 3 Bosc pears
• 3/4 cup strong brewed black tea, I used one tablespoon Assam tea brewed in 3/4 cup water
• pinch of kosher salt
• 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey, add more if you prefer sweeter crêpes
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Butter or ghee as needed

1. Combine the chestnut flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, eggs and milk in a bowl, using a hand blender or manual whisk until a completely smooth batter is formed. Set aside.
2. Dry roast the walnuts and allow them to cool. Slice the pears in quarters.
3. Mix the black tea, vanilla and maple syrup. In a large skillet or frying pan, warm 1-2 tablespoons butter or ghee, sauté the pear slices both sides over medium heat for 2-4 minutes till they start to get golden. Pour the tea mixture and bring it to a boil to delegalize. Boil the syrup for 3-4 minute till tea syrup starts to thicken. Take it off the heat and keep warm. You must have about 1/4 cup syrup to serve.
4. Heat a crêpe pan or large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Use a piece of scrunched up paper towel to wipe a small amount of butter or ghee on to the pan, this prevents the crêpe batter from sticking and evenly distribute the butter in a thin layer.
5. When the pan is heated, hold it in your left hand and pour about one ladle, about ¼ cup of crepe batter onto the bottom left side of the pan. Working quickly, tilt your wrist to rotate the pan so the batter spreads clockwise around the pan, and gently shake the pan to spread an even thin layer of batter on the pan.
6. Set the pan back on the heat allowing it to cook until the edges slightly curl up and it starts to crisp up, about 1-2 minutes.
7. Use a rubber spatula or a flat fipper, lift all of the edges of the crepe to make sure it hasn’t stuck to your pan.
8. Gently grasp and edge of a crepe with your fingers or use a rubber spatula or flipper and flip the crepe.
9. Once flipped, allow it cook for another minute to firm up. Remove from the pan and cook the remaining batter in the same way. Keep them stacked on a warm plate.
10. Serve with tea caramelized pear slices along with a little tea syrup , toasted walnuts and chestnuts if using. For extra sweetness you can add some maple syrup. Enjoy! Serves about 4 people.