These Teff Crêpes with Roasted Winter Squash and Herbs look so good, they’re perfect for company. But they’re also quick enough to make on a weeknight. Plus, they’re amazing as leftovers for lunch the next day.
Eragrostis tef, also known as teff, is a species of lovegrass native to the Horn of Africa, more specifically to modern-day Ethiopia. Some say it’s the smallest known grain. The plant is cultivated for its edible seeds, which are milled to make flour, mostly. Teff is used extensively in the cuisine of the Ethiopia and Eritrea. It comes in several varieties and colors, and it is the base for injera, the fermented sourdough flatbread that is eaten with most Ethiopian meals.
Although teff is gaining in popularity worldwide, like so many other ancestral food that are rooted in a nation’s culture and identity, it comes at a price. And in most cases, the nation where the food took root is the one paying for it. In the case of teff flour, in 2003 the Dutch company HPFI teamed up with the Ethiopian Institute of Biodiversity Conservation to introduce teff to markets across Europe. It was agreed that both parties would split profits. But the then CEO of HPFI, who had taken out two patents on teff, was now arguing that his way of milling and storing the flour was unique. The company declared bankruptcy in 2009, leaving the CEO the right to use the patents as well as all marketing rights. But there’s more. He also became free from the original agreement with Ethiopia.
Later on, the patent was declared void by the Dutch patent office, on the basis that the ways to bake and mix flours were ‘general professional knowledge’. Today, Ethiopia is looking to regain ownership over global markets of one of its most important food source.
I am grateful for the chance I have to use teff. I’m starting to play with it more and more. I love that it’s completely free of gluten and so versatile. These crêpes are nothing compared to the mighty injera, but they’re quick, satisfying, gluten-free, and healthy. Let me know what you think!
You can find other great winter squash recipes here: Wild Rice with Acorn Squash, Caramelized Onions, Pomegranate and Maple Vinaigrette and Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes
PrintTeff Crêpes with Roasted Winter Squash and Herbs
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
Crêpes
- 1 cup teff flour (you may ground whole teff to a flour using a blender or food processor)
- 2 tablespoons flax meal
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon oil, to oil the cooking pan
Filling
- 2 lbs winter squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 cup walnuts, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 heaping teaspoons fresh sage, chopped
- 2 heaping teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 heaping tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Optional: Tahini sauce made by mixing 1/4 cup tahini, 1/4 cup water and the juice of half a juicy lemon, sea salt and pepper
- Optional: toasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Place the squash cubes in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and some pepper. Mix well and arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until the squash is tender and browned in parts, about 35-40 minutes, giving them a shake every 10 minutes or so.
While the squash roasts, prepare the crêpe batter. In a high speed blender, place 1 cup teff flour, the flax meal, salt and 1 1/2 cup water. Blend on high until a thick and smooth batter forms. Set aside.
Going back to the filling, in a small skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the walnuts, garlic, sage, and rosemary and cook just enough for the garlic to loose its bite, about a minute. Remove from the heat and add the parsley. When the squash is done, mix in the walnuts and herbs mixture.
To cook the crêpes, warm a small non-stick skillet over medium heat. Using a paper towel and small amount of oil, grease the bottom of the skillet. Once the skillet is hot, pour in 1/4 cup of the batter, gently rotating it so that it distributes it evenly. Cook without touching about 3 minutes or until the edges become crisp and start to peel away from the skillet. If you flip too soon, it will stick. You may need to play with the level of heat to find the sweet spot. Flip the crêpe and cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter and keep warm with a clean kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining batter.
To serve, top each crêpe with some squash mixture. Top with some tahini sauce and toasted pumpkins seeds, if desired. Bon appétit!
Keywords: teff, crêpes, squash
Crêpes de teff avec courge d’hiver rôtie aux herbes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 portions 1x
Ingredients
Crêpes
- 1 tasse de farine de teff (vous pouvez faire la farine vous-mêmes en pulsant le grain dans un mélangeur)
- 2 c. à soupe de graine de lin moulue
- 1/4 c. à thé de sel
- 1 1/2 tasse d’eau
- 1 c. à thé d’huile, pour graisser la poêle
Garniture
- 2 livres (1 kg) de courge d’hiver au choix, pelée et coupée en cubes de 1 po (2,5cm)
- 3 c. à soupe d’huile d’olive
- 1/2 tasse de noix, hachées finement
- 2 gousses d’ail, émincées
- 2 généreuses c. à thé de sauge fraîche, hachée
- 2 généreuses c. à thé de romarin frais, haché finement
- 2 c. à soupe de persil frais, haché
- En option: sauce tahini simple (1/4 tasse tahini, 1/4 tasse d’eau et le jus d’un demi citron bien juteux, sel de mer et poivre)
- En option: graines de citrouille grillées
Instructions
Préchauffer le four à 375˚F (190˚C). Dans un grand bol, mélanger les cubes de courge, 1 c. à soupe d’huile d’olive, 1/2 c. à thé de sel de mer et du poivre. Placer sur une tôle préalablement recouverte de papier parchemin et mettre au four. Cuire pendant 35 à 40 minutes, jusqu’à ce que les cubes soient tendres et bien rôtis par endroits, en les retournant toutes les 10 minutes.
Pendant que la courge cuit, préparer le mélange à crêpes. Dans un mélangeur, placer 1 tasse de farine de teff, la graine de lin moulue, le sel et 1 1/2 tasse d’eau. Mélanger jusqu’à l’obtention d’un mélange épais et onctueux. Réserver.
Dans une petite poêle, faire chauffer 2 c. à soupe d’huile d’olive à feu moyen. Ajouter les noix hachées, l’ail, la sauge et le romarin. Cuire, en brassant, pendant 2 minutes. Retirer du feu, ajouter le persil et mélanger avec les cubes de courge rôtis.
Pour faire les crêpes, chauffer une poêle anti-adhésive à feu moyen. À l’aide d’un papier absorbant et d’une petite quantité d’huile, graisser le fond de la poêle. Une fois que la poêle est chaude, verser 1/4 tasse de mélange à crêpe. Tourner et retourner la poêle afin d’y distribuer le mélange uniformément. Cuire sans déranger pendant 3 minutes, jusqu’à ce que les rebords de la crêpe deviennent croustillants et qu’ils se détachent légèrement de la poêle. Résister l’envie de tourner la crêpe trop tôt pour éviter qu’elle ne colle. Ajuster le degré de chaleur, si nécessaire. Retourner la crêpe et cuire pour 1 à 2 minutes de plus. Retirer la crêpe et déposer sur une assiette recouverte d’un linge propre, pour garder au chaud. Répéter avec le reste du mélange.
Pour servir, garnir chaque crêpe du mélange de courge. Garnir de sauce tahini et de graines de citrouille, si désiré. Bon appétit!
Keywords: teff, crêpes, courge
