Teff Love, random facts, and a recipe for quick teff crêpes

Please forgive the lighting. I made these on a school day. (A testament to just how quick they are!)

A little over a year ago, I had just finished testing recipes for Kittee’s cookbook Teff Love. My pantry was stocked with all manner of dried lentils and grains. I had jar upon jar of spice blends and seasoned oils that I had blended and seasoned myself. I had mastered injera.

Fact: the reason I joined Instagram was because the community of Teff Love testers took it by storm, and I wanted to join the party.

One of my favorite recipes is ersho, the teff sourdough starter. There are two jars at all times hanging out in the back of my refrigerator, descendants of the first starter I made during testing. Someday I’ll do a post about this starter, about how it makes wonderful injera and pancakes and yeasted breads.

Fact: my starter smells like granny smith apples.

Right now, though, I’m going to tell you about Kittee’s quick teff crêpes, because they are magic. They bring the bubbles and sponginess and tang of traditional injera, when you need your injera fix but don’t have the time or means to make them the traditional way with ersho.

Fact: I prefer my teff crêpes in the morning, with savory leftovers.

(savory) things on crêpes: ye’tofu enkulal firfir and Ethiopian-style mac ‘n’ cheesie (a.k.a. Kittee M.A.C.)

Fact: they are also really good with sweet fillings.

(sweet) things on crêpes: ayib, a non-cultured cheese from Teff Love, paired with cherry preserves

Quick teff crêpes

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Although these crêpes don’t have quite the same texture or pronounced sourness typical of injera, they make a good stand-in on days when you want Ethiopian food quickly and don’t have time for the fermentation process or access to commercial injera. They have a slightly spongy-stretchy texture, with a small bit of tang from the yogurt and vinegar, and work well for scooping up sauces and stews.

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1 cup teff flour, any variety
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups carbonated water
2/3 cup unsweetened plain vegan yogurt
6 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Put the teff flour, chickpea flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and whisk vigorously to combine and to beat out any lumps that may be in the chickpea flour. Add the carbonated water and vegan yogurt and whisk well to combine. When the griddle is hot, whisk in the vinegar to combine. The batter will rise and foam, and the consistency will be thin and reminiscent of chocolate milk.

Form each crêpe by using a 1/3-cup measure to scoop the batter from the bottom of the bowl and pour it into a disk on the hot pan. Use a spoon to quickly and lightly smooth the batter into a 6-inch disk, starting in the center and working in concentric circles until you reach the edges (keep the center of the crêpe the thickest and the edges the thinnest; the crêpe should be between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick).

Cover and cook for 1 minute. The crêpe should be dry on the top with a smattering of little holes over its surface. Uncover and continue to cook the crêpe without turning it for another 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. The total cooking time for each crêpe should be 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. When fully cooked, the crêpe should be dry on top with a few air-bubble holes, and the bottom should be firm, smooth, and lightly browned. Depending on your cookware and stove, you’ll need to adjust the heat to achieve this result. Use a flat flexible spatula to loosen and release the crêpe, and then quickly transfer it to a plate and cover with a clean, dry tea towel. Repeat the cooking process until all the batter has been used. As the crêpes are made, stack them on top of each other and keep them covered with the towel so they don’t dry out.

As the crêpes cool, the crêpes will develop a spongy-stretchy texture. Let them rest until they’re room temperature, then wrap the stack loosely in a clean, dry tea towel and seal it in a zip lock bag until serving time. Be sure the crêpes are completely cool or the bag will collect moisture and they’ll spoil. If you notice any condensation, open the bag to air it out.

Cooking tip: For the best success, I recommend cooking these crêpes on a flat, anodized griddle or pan. If you find the crêpes are sticking as they cook, mist the pan with a small amount of oil. Keep in mind, just as with traditional teff injera, the first one cooked is usually a throwaway or a treat for the cook.

Cooking tip: Halve this recipe if you’d like a smaller yield, and for the best results, eat these the same day they’re prepared.

This blog tour was kicked off by Hipster Food. Check out earlier tour stops at Cadry’s Kitchen and Vegansaurus, and see the full line up here. The next stop is Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen, on February 24!