Sweet Eggless Crepes – Patisapta is a bengali delicacy prepared during Indian festivals.
Since my childhood, ma’s ‘patisapta’ has always eluded me. They are not known in various parts of India, but every Bengali family has their own crepes aka Patisapta story. It’s no less famous than Hilsha or Shrimp!
For the rest of the world – Patisapta is no more than eggless crepes with a sweet stuffing. But for us, it’s a lot more than that.
[clickToTweet tweet=”A #Sankranti #special #bengalirecipe from #Kolkata : #sweet #stuffed #crepes: http://bit.ly/1RK9vhP” quote=”Ma used to make patisapta and different sort of dumplings (‘pithes’) during our festivals.” theme=”style1″]
I am going to talk about such festivals another time. She makes thin crepes and fills them with her special stuffing. When we were visiting India last year, my husband tried and kept saying -“Those were good. I wish you knew how to make them”. Enough is enough. I decided to start making ma’s crepes.
As you all know, I am not a culinary expert, and I do not have a professional degree or expertise in cooking like many of you have. However, I hate to fail, and I keep trying until I learn and succeed. I have tried and learned many recipes like this. I have been stubborn since my childhood. If I want to do something, I try and try until I succeed. So, cooking these sweet crepes was a little victory for me.
Ma says that she was not born a chef and she learned throughout her entire life. I am the same, but I do have her next to me teaching me. Of course, modern technology especially, Skype and Facetime, have helped us big time. Yes, I am very lucky in that way. She never gets tired of teaching me something new. Secondly, I do have some amazingly crazy blogger friends, who share the same passion as me – “Food”. I asked on Facebook how to make crepes and in a day I got 21 comments. Thank you once again for taking time from your busy schedule and helping me. Sujatha, Jayashri, and Soumya – special thanks to you for sharing your videos with me.
While browsing through my pantry last week and making an iPhone list of my pantry items (it was 84 items), I found a bag of white rice flour. The reason I said white us because I do have a bag of brown rice flour (which I can tackle later). I thought why not learn the recipe now so making them will be easier during festivals? Also, some of my non-Bengali friends asked for this recipe!
If you know how to make crepes or Dosa, making these ‘Patisaptas’ is no deal for you. But if you have never made crepes, you might need to practice a bit. It took me two attempts to learn this. Also, consistency of the batter is very much essential. It will be thinner than a pancake batter. Look at my picture above for that, where my husband is dripping it with a whisker. I have used a crepe spreader for my crepes, and you can use the back of a stainless steel ladle if you prefer.
Stuffing these eggless crepes varies from family to family. Ma and my granny and great granny (yes, she is alive) all use milk to make the stuffing. They simmer the milk for a long period until it turns into a semi-solid state. I have done that step here, but I have separated 1-gallon milk into two containers to quicken the process. If you think doing everything is tedious, you can break the work across two days (which is what I have done). On Friday, I simmered the milk for 3 hours in two containers, until it reduced to a thick, shiny liquid. After that, I added rice flour and jaggery and stirred it until it turned thick. You can check above in the picture (I wish I could do justice with a better image), how is the texture of the stuffing looks. Stuffing will be very thick and NOT RUNNY at all.
I heard that many families use coconut as filling, and this is what I have seen in our neighbor’s ‘patisaptas’. Granny and great-granny both have no access to condensed milk, so my crepe recipe does not call for it.
The outside of these crepes is golden brown. They are pan fried with clarified butter until they are golden brown. When you bite into them, the sweet stuffing and the little crunchy crust melts in your mouth. It’s that soft. The filling can be very sweet to mildly sweet, so please adjust accordingly. Golden brown crepes with light brown mildly sweet milk filling are a delightful combo!
Recipe for Sweet Eggless Crepes
Makes 14-15
Filling
In two non-stick saucepans, over medium heat, boil the milk over 3 hours by stirring occasionally. When it has reduced to a semi-thick silky liquid, add rice flour, and jaggery. Now, stir it continuously for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it thickens. The texture of your filing should be like mine. {Please check the picture above}
I have distributed the milk in two containers to make it faster. As I mentioned above, you can prepare advanced day in advance.
Crepes
1. In a mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, rice flour, semolina. With milk make a semi-thin batter. {Please check the picture above for the consistency}
2. In a non-stick pan, over medium-low heat, add a dollop of the batter with a ladle. With a crepe spreader or a thin cardboard paper*(check notes below). Spread it to make a round perfect shape crepe. Please follow the steps picture above.
We get a cardboard paper with laundered shirts. I have a cut a corner of those cardboard paper. You can also use a thick card if you have if you want to save some $$$ in crepe spreader.
3. With a non-stick spatula(as I have showed above), push one side de-attach the crepes from the pan. Carefully flip it over and toast the other side for 1 minute. It won’t be golden brown like the other side. Take the crepes aside in a plate.
4. As I have showed above, add some stuffings in the middle. Fold one side and fold the other side. I was having problem to hold them together so i have pressed down the folding side down. I have prepared them all at a once.
5. In a non-stick skillet, over medium heat, heat 1/2 teaspoon clarified butter at a time. Add one crepe, the folding side down and fry them until golden brown for about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip it over and fry the other side for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Take it aside. You should be able to make 14-15 crepes.
I have drizzled some liquid molasses with silvered almond on top (for photography of course). Ma never uses any garnish.
I am glad the video helped you Do. Thanks much for mentioning me on your great space. Hugs, Cheers and Happy cooking.
I just love this recipe – I love traditional recipes. So many memories and so much history to it.
Beautiful pictures – am so tempted to try this.
Thank you!!
Thank you 🙂
Where ever the French & Portuguese set foot they left different versions of pancakes and crepes. We call it love letters, Goans call it Alle belle.
True, spreading batter needs some practice. If the batter is really thin simply swirl it around the non stick pan and u can get super thin crepes.
Love the date jaggery filling. Where do u find date jaggery here ?
Great grandmother’s recipe thats awesome Dolphia! How young is she?
She is 93 now, still very much young at heart! I find date jaggery in a Bangladeshi Store!
These look so, so elegant Dolphia and am sure are really delicious! In love with all the pictures!!!
Love traditional recipes. Nothing can come close to these traditional gems. Need to try this , looks delicious!
The recipe looks really good. My mom does not make a kheer filling. She makes a coconut filling, quite similar to the base used for Narkol Naru. I have been missing my mom for a while and this post made me so homesick. 🙂
I loved the bags in which you store your flour. Can you tell me where I could get it? Thanks.
Dear Aparajita,
They are from Etsy!
This is such a great resource. So meticulously and beautifully captured. Love it!
Thanks so much for this. This is such an evergreen resource. The step images are so so so helpful!
Thank you my dear!
Thank you, my dear!
I am drooling at those crepes and filling… just like you said, I have seen recipes with coconut filling, that is so similar to our “love letters” – as mentioned by Meena – or “Eylanchi” as they are called but this filling is just so rich! It must be so good to have your great granny around for those old stories… 🙂
Thank you!!
So many memories are weaved with the recipes isn’t it ?? Its nice to know every region have their own version of eggless crepes too. I loved and enjoyed the step by step capture .. Beautiful pictures..
So many memories are weaved with the recipes isn’t it ?? Its nice to know every region have their own version of eggless crepes too. I loved and enjoyed the step by step capture .. Beautiful pictures..
So many memories are weaves with every recipe .. isn’t it ? I enjoyed and loved the step by step capture. Beautiful pictures. Every region have their own version of eggless crepes..
I heard you guys also have your own versions! How is that?
Loved reading your post. And pictures – mind blowing. :). My mom-in-law makes something similar to this, and the filling is coconut (no surprises there, we hail from the land of coconuts). Now, I have to check with her as to how she makes it. Thanks for sharing your method. – Sreelatha
Please share your mom in law’s recipe!