Ficelle Picarde

Ficelle Picarde

A classic French dish from the Picardy region: thin crêpes rolled around a filling of cheese, mushrooms, and a little cream, then briefly baked until bubbling. It is traditionally served as a first course or a light lunch with a green salad.

Prep

25 min

Cook

20 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4 (8 crêpes)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •125 g (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
• •2 whole (2 large) eggs
• •250 ml (1 cup) whole milk
• •125 ml (½ cup) water
• •30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for the pan
• •fine salt, ½
• •300 g (10½ oz) button (cremini) mushrooms, finely chopped
• •20 g (1½ tbsp) unsalted butter
• •1 whole (1 small) shallot, finely chopped
• •1 clove garlic, minced
• •60 ml (¼ cup) dry white wine
• •125 ml (½ cup) crème fraîche or heavy cream, crème fraîche is traditional
• •200 g (7 oz (about 1½ cups grated)) Gruyère cheese, Comté is the traditional Picardy choice; Emmental also works
• •2 tbsp fresh chives, finely snipped
• •1 pinch ground nutmeg
• •salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps

1. 1 Make the batter: whisk the flour, eggs, milk, water, melted butter, and salt until smooth. Cover and rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (overnight is fine).
2. 2 Cook the crêpes: heat an 18–20 cm (7–8 inch) non-stick pan over medium-high heat and lightly butter it. Pour in about 45 ml (3 tbsp) of batter, swirl to coat thinly, and cook 45–60 seconds on the first side and 20–30 seconds on the second. Slide onto a plate. Repeat to make 8 crêpes. Stack and keep warm.
3. 3 Make the filling: melt 20 g butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook 3 minutes until soft, then add the mushrooms and cook 7–9 minutes, stirring, until they release their liquid and it evaporates.
4. 4 Add the garlic, cook 30 seconds, then pour in the white wine and simmer until almost dry, about 2 minutes.
5. 5 Stir in the crème fraîche, three-quarters of the grated Gruyère, the chives, and a pinch of nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The mixture should be thick and spoonable; if loose, simmer 1–2 minutes more.
6. 6 Assemble: lay a crêpe flat, spoon about 2 generous tablespoons of filling along one edge, then roll it up into a short cigar (the traditional "ficelle", or string shape). Place seam-side down in a buttered gratin dish. Repeat with all crêpes, packing them snugly.
7. 7 Top with the remaining grated Gruyère and a few small dots of butter.
8. 8 Bake in a preheated 220°C / 425°F (gas mark 7) oven for 8–10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the tops are golden and bubbling.
9. 9 Serve immediately, straight from the dish, with a lightly dressed green salad on the side.