I spied in an Aldi catalogue a crêpe maker and was most intrigued. I asked the better half if we should get it, seeing as our kitchen is FULL of appliances, while regularly used, not quite the norm for a kitchen. She agreed, so I swung by Aldi the other day after geeking it up at Jaycar. While the device lacked the crêpe spreader, I was still determined to use it.

The crêpe maker isn't anything special, nor is it an 100% correct maker - it has a lip so it's a little harder to make a proper crepe. I ended up making a new crêpe spreader of 2 pieces of dowel, and used that.

All in all it's not a bad little cooking device, especially for the price ($20). I can see use for making pancakes and thin omelettes.

I decided to make a decent breakfast with it, Crêpes with Ratatouille and Pancetta. Not a bad combination, simple and tasty.

Recipes as follows:

Crêpes (from ffcook.com):


Ingredients 
200 gr [7 oz] flour
1 egg
1/2 liter [17 fl oz] milk
25 gr [1 oz]
melted butter
2 pinches salt

Method :
Put the flour, salt (and sugar) in a salad bowl, dip a shaft and put
the (whole) egg in. Turn with a wooden spoon and add the melted
butter. Turn gently until you have incorporated all the flour
(add some milk if you need but just enough). Now that the batter
is soft but not liquid you have to turn very sharply so as to eliminate
the lumps and obtain an homogeneous mixture.
Finish pouring the milk slowly while turning.
Leave the batter for at least one hour before cooking.

To prepare :
Turn the batter. Heat a non-stick pan, put a light knod of butter in
(swirl the pan to distribute the melting butter ; the pan must be hot
enough to hear the butter fry but not too hot for the butter must not
get brown !), pour a small laddle of batter on the pan while swirling it
to distribute the batter evenly (this is the important trick !).
Don't forget crepes must be very thin ! Cook until golden brown, turn
the crepe upside down and cook the other side the same way.
Put it in a large plate, stuff it and fold it into 4, or roll it.
Do that again for each crepe.

Ratatouille (from Larousse Gastronomique)

Ingredients
3 Tomatoes
1 Eggplant (aubergine) (small)
1 Capsicum
1 Zucchini (courgette)
1 Onion
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Bouquet Garnis

Method
Dice all ingredients to about the same size. Cook Eggplant in olive oil until lightly browned, add everything else, cook for 30 mins or so. Add salt & pepper to taste.

This is my smaller and simpler way of doing Ratatouille

When the batter is ready & as is the ratatouille, make the crêpe flipping twice, on the rough (top) side add a small amount of ratatouille and pancetta. Fold in all sides to make a parcel. Voila, Crêpes à la Ratatouille et Pancetta.