Crêpes mit Mangoldfüllung (crêpes with chard filling)

Method

1. Whisk the flour, eggs, milk and salt together into a smooth, thin batter. Let rest for 30 minutes.
2. Heat a little oil in a crêpe pan or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour in a thin layer of batter, swirling to coat the base. Cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes, until the edges lift and the surface looks set, then flip and cook for 30 seconds more. Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the finished crêpes.
3. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion and chopped chard stems for 5 minutes, until softening.
4. Add the chopped chard leaves and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until fully wilted.
5. Drain the wilted chard in a sieve, pressing to squeeze out excess liquid. Combine with the cream cheese, shredded cheese, nutmeg and salt.
6. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan). Spoon the filling onto each crêpe and roll up. Arrange in a baking dish and bake for 10 minutes, until warmed through.

Notes

• Cook the stems before the leaves. Chard stems need several extra minutes to soften; adding everything at once leaves you with either undercooked stems or grey, overcooked leaves.
• Squeeze the wilted chard dry before mixing with the cheese. Chard releases a surprising amount of liquid; skipping this step leaves the filling watery, which soaks through the crêpes and turns them soggy.
• Let the batter rest before cooking. This lets the flour hydrate fully, giving smoother, more tender crêpes that tear less when flipped.
• The filling can be made a day ahead; assembled crêpes reheat well in the oven.

Ingredient substitutions

• Chard can be spinach, though it cooks much faster and doesn’t need the stem-and-leaf separation.
• Cream cheese can be ricotta or quark for a different texture.
• A pinch of chili flakes in the filling adds a little heat.