Clatite (Romanian Pancakes)

It's time to master another recipe to make fluffy and soft Romanian pancakes - clatite. If you search for a simple clatite recipe with guaranteed success, look no further than this easy-to-make breakfast favorite.

Another best way to spice up your morning is by trying new and exciting foods, such as French crepes or Polish naleśniki.

For many people, breakfast is the most important meal of their day. It is usually what gets them ready for work, and it provides energy to get through long workdays.

And crepes and pancakes are that food on this subject that makes you happy and satisfied for a whole day.

And it is not just about the taste of pancakes; it is so much more than just a meal.

Most pancake recipes are inherited by family history from grandmothers to mothers to daughters.

The choices are endless with crepes and pancakes recipes!

In France, milk-based crepes are a popular choice, while Polish naleśniki use some sparkling or plain water to replace part of the milk.

Romanian clătite, meaning pancakes in English, often utilizes an equal amount each - there is such a rule, although Romanians like to make milk-based crepes too.

A combination of milk with sparkling or plain water is what changes the texture of crepes. 

Depending on liquid proportions, crepes will be more delicate and porous. The finest crepes are obtained by combining the two liquids equally.

So you have got to try Romanian breakfast. It is the best way you can start your day.

Jump to:

• What are clatite?
• Why you should try this recipe
• Ingredients
• How to make clatite
• Recipe variations
• Storage instructions
• Equipment
• Expert tips
• Frequently asked questions
• Love crepes? Try these next!
• Recipe card
• Comments

What are clatite?

Clatite (clătite in Romanian; plural) are Romanian-style thin pancakes. They resemble crepes much more than American pancakes, which makes them seem very versatile in the world of breakfast.

It is not difficult if you wonder how to pronounce clătite in Romanian. It sounds like klah-TEE-teh.

Why you should try this recipe

Clatite are homemade crepes or pancakes, a classic Romanian breakfast, brunch, and even dinner choice that can be served sweet or savory.

The list of ingredients is simple and easy to find in any grocery store. You may even have them at home.

Romanian clatite recipe is a super-simple basic recipe that works every time. It's been tested and retested many times, so you know it will be perfect.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

Eggs: the recipe calls for large eggs.

Flour: use all-purpose flour to make the recipe.

Milk: whole milk is required to make these pancakes.

Water: the recipe calls for mineral water that contains flavor from minerals. You can replace it with plain or sparkling water if desired.

Salt: a little bit of salt is essential to make pancakes. It enhances their flavor; the salt-free pancakes are tasteless.

Butter: choose the fat (melted and cooled butter or vegetable oil) you prefer.

Adding it to the batter makes cooking pancakes much smoother without greasing a crepe pan.

Sugar: this ingredient is optional. You can make sweet pancakes by adding one tablespoon of granulated sugar or vanilla sugar to the batter.

How to make clatite

To make the batter, melt butter in the microwave and let it cool. Lightly beat eggs with a pinch of salt in a large bowl using a hand whisk. 

Add the sifted flour to the egg mixture, alternating with the cold milk. Mix well after each addition of dry and wet ingredients.

At this point, add flavors if desired. Then add mineral water and mix the batter vigorously with the hand whisk or a wooden spoon. 

If there are some lumps, strain the batter through a fine-mesh sieve. The batter should be lump-free and thin enough.

Let the batter rest for 30 minutes. If you are short on time, start cooking pancakes right away.

Extra tip: if you have a blender, add all the ingredients to the bowl and mix until smooth.

Add melted butter and gently mix. If the butter makes small lumps, it is okay: they will melt in the pan.

Heat a crepe pan well on high or medium-high heat. Use the largest burner of the stove for a uniform distribution of heat.

Extra tip: Heating the pan well ensures that even the first crepe (pancake) will be perfect.

If you are right-handed, take the hot pan in your left hand and pour the batter into the pan with a small ladle or a cup. 

At the same time, rotate the pan so that the batter is evenly distributed. It should cover the entire surface of the pan (sometimes even some edges).

Bring the pan over the heat and cook the pancake for about a minute. When the pancake edges start to turn golden, it's time to flip it. 

Peel off the edges of the pancake with a spatula, and with a flexible turner, flip the pancake.

You can also use a wooden spatula for this or flip your pancake from the wrist (if you have this skill).

You will see the brown spots on the flipped pancake. Being a result of Maillard reaction, they give the taste and flavor to your pancakes.

Cook the second side of the pancake for half the time of the first side. Continuer with the remaining batter.

Place pancakes on each other, on a serving plate, and cover with another plate to keep them warm.

For the filling, mix ricotta cheese with icing powder in a medium bowl.

Peel bananas, cut each into two parts, and sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent them from darkening.

Spread each pancake with one tablespoon of sweet cheese filling, fold the sides inwards, place half of the banana and roll it into a roll.

Once ready to serve, melt dark chocolate in the microwave and drizzle over the pancakes.

Recipe variations

It is a classic Romanian clatite recipe that can be modified to your liking.

The great news is that that clatite batter is very versatile. You can make it with milk and water or just switch out the liquids with one another. So, replace water with milk or milk with water.

Interestingly, the most porous crepes are made with only water. They are also less in calories.

If you do not have three eggs, prepare your batter with two eggs or combine one whole egg and an egg white or one whole egg and two yolks. 

Finally, mineral water can be replaced with plain water, beer, or cider. 

You can add vanilla sugar, vanilla extract, and orange or lemon zest for the sweet version of pancakes. But don't omit the salt: it is essential.

To flavor savory pancakes, add fresh greens, for example, chopped dill, and chopped red or green bell peppers for extra flavor.

Serve your pancakes rolled, folded, wrapped, or built on top of each other, forming a crepe cake. 

The traditional filling for clatite is usually homemade jam, preserves, or soft sweet cheese filling combined with added vanilla sugar, cinnamon, or raisins.

Less common flavors include fresh fruit, honey, or yogurt. Fancier options include ice cream, walnuts, and chocolate spread served at restaurants.

But you can always opt for the simple clatite sprinkled with powdered sugar or you might prefer savory fillings - the choice is yours.

Storage instructions

Store pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

You can also freeze a stack of pancakes with parchment paper between each pancake. Then cover it with plastic wrap and freeze for two months.

To thaw, bring pancakes to the refrigerator overnight or the countertop for 1-2 hours.

To reheat, simply bring your pancakes to the microwave oven at 15-30 second intervals.

Equipment

The best pancakes are made with a non-stick crepe pan with just the right height (or depth).

It should be able to cook both sides of pancakes adequately without burning.

So only a good quality pan will ensure a great crepes-making experience and less time wasted in the kitchen.

But you can make crepes using your favorite non-stick frying pan too.

There is so much information about crepe equipment in the post devoted to making basic crepes.

Expert tips

1. Read more on how to make perfect crepes.
2. Make the batter in advance and let it rest in the fridge for up to 24 hours. If the batter seems thick, dilute it with some cold milk the next day.
3. If you want to make a thicker pancake, pour slightly more batter into the pan.

Frequently asked questions

Love crepes? Try these next!

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.