Clatite Recipe (Romanian Pancakes)

Quick Summary: To make clatite (Romanian pancakes), whisk eggs, sugar, and salt, then beat in flour, milk, and sparkling water into a thin batter. Let it rest, then cook thin pancakes in a hot, buttered pan. Fill them sweet or savory and serve warm.

What are clatite?

Clatite (clătite in Romanian, plural) are thin Romanian pancakes, close cousins of French crepes and Polish naleśniki. The name is pronounced kluh-TEE-teh, and a single one is a clatita.

What sets clatite apart is the batter. Along with eggs, flour, and milk, Romanian cooks often add sparkling or plain water, which makes the pancakes lighter and gives them their signature lacy, porous edges.

They sit somewhere between thin French crepes and fluffy American pancake: thin and flexible enough to roll or fold, yet tender. Serve them sweet with jam, cheese, or chocolate, or savory with a filling of your choice.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Simple pantry ingredients. Eggs, flour, milk, and a splash of water are all you need; no special shopping trip required.
• Light, tender texture. The sparkling-water batter gives you thin, lacy pancakes that never turn rubbery.
• Sweet or savory. Fill them with jam, cheese, Nutella, fruit, or a savory filling, so one batter covers breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
• Make-ahead friendly. The batter rests happily in the fridge, and cooked clatite reheat well for busy mornings.
• Naturally crowd-pleasing. This classic Romanian recipe is kids and adults ask for again and again.

Ingredients

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

• Eggs: the recipe calls for large eggs.
• Flour: Use all-purpose flour.
• Milk: whole milk is required to make these pancakes.
• Water: the recipe calls for mineral water with mineral flavor. You can replace it with plain or sparkling water if desired.
• Salt: a little salt is essential for pancakes. It enhances their flavor; salt-free pancakes are tasteless.
• Butter: choose the fat you prefer (melted and cooled butter or vegetable oil). 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.

Equipment

You only need a few basic tools to make clatite at home:

• crepe pan or nonstick frying pan
• mixing bowl
• hand whisk
• ladle or measuring cup
• flexible turner or spatula

How to make clatite

Step 1. Melt the butter in the microwave and set it aside to cool. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and the sugar until combined.

Step 2. Add the sifted flour to the egg mixture, alternating with the cold milk and sparkling water. Whisk well after each addition to keep the batter smooth and lump-free.

Step 3. Whisk in the cooled melted butter. If a few small lumps of butter form, do not worry; they will melt as the pancakes cook.

Step 4. Let the batter rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature. This relaxes the flour and gives you thinner, more tender clatite. If you are short on time, you can start cooking right away.

Step 5. Heat a crepe pan or nonstick pan over medium-high heat, using your largest burner for even heat. Lightly grease it with a little butter or oil and wipe away the excess.

Step 6. Lift the pan off the heat, pour in a small ladle of batter, and immediately swirl the pan so the batter coats the bottom in a thin, even layer.

Step 7. Return the pan to the heat and cook for about a minute, until the edges look golden and lacy and lift easily from the pan.

Step 8. Loosen the edges with a spatula, then flip the clatita with a flexible turner and cook the second side for about 30 seconds, until lightly golden.

Step 9. Slide each cooked pancake onto a plate and cover with another plate to keep them warm while you cook the rest. Grease the pan again only if the pancakes start to stick.

Step 10. For a sweet filling, mix the ricotta with icing sugar in a bowl. Peel the bananas, cut each in half, and sprinkle with a little lemon juice to keep them from browning.

Step 11. Spread each pancake with about a tablespoon of the sweet cheese filling, fold in the sides, lay half a banana on top, and roll it up.

Step 12. Just before serving, melt the dark chocolate in the microwave and drizzle it over the rolled clatite. Serve warm.

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. For thicker pancakes, pour slightly more batter into the pan.
4. Remember the easy cup ratio: 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, and 1 cup sparkling water, plus eggs and a pinch of salt. No need to weigh anything.
5. Do not skip the salt. Even though clatite are not sweet on their own, a pinch of salt rounds out the flavor and balances sweet fillings.
6. Aim for a thin, pourable batter that spreads to the edges of the pan on its own. If it pools in the middle like a thick pancake, whisk in a splash more water or milk.
7. Do not stress over the first one. The first clatita is almost always a test pancake while the pan comes up to temperature, so snack on it and keep going.
8. Keep the pan hot. As you work through the batter, nudge the heat up toward medium-high so each pancake sets quickly with lacy edges.

Recipe variations

This is a classic Romanian clatite recipe, but the batter is easy to adapt to your taste:

• Adjust the liquid. More sparkling water makes thinner, more porous pancakes, while more milk makes them softer and richer. Water only gives the lightest, lowest-fat version.
• Egg swap. If you have fewer than three eggs, add an extra splash of milk or water to loosen the batter to the right consistency.
• Add flavor. Stir vanilla sugar, vanilla extract, or lemon or orange zest into the batter for sweet clatite, or a pinch of chopped fresh herbs for a savory version.
• Sweet fillings. Try jam, Nutella, sweetened ricotta, fresh fruit, or a simple sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
• Savory fillings. Fill them with soft cheese, ham, or sautéed mushrooms for a light lunch or dinner.
• Serve your way. Roll them, fold them into triangles, or wrap them around the filling, then finish with a drizzle of melted chocolate or a dusting of icing sugar.

Storing & freezing

Let the clatite cool completely, then stack them with a small piece of parchment between each one so they do not stick. Store the stack in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days, and reheat gently in a warm pan or the microwave before serving.

To freeze, layer the cooled pancakes with parchment, wrap the stack tightly, and freeze for up to two months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight, then warm through. Store clatite unfilled and add fresh fillings after reheating so they keep their texture.

Recipe FAQ

What do you need to make crepes?
You'll need a foolproof, correctly measured recipe, a mixing bowl, a hand whisk, and a nonstick crepe pan.

Can you make crepes ahead of time?
You can make crepes in advance and cover them with foil or plastic wrap for two days.

Can you make crepes with almond milk?
Almond milk is a great alternative to whole milk and works well for crepes. It is a popular option for those looking to reduce their calorie intake and still get that rich flavor and taste.

Can you make crepes without milk?
Replace some part of the milk with sparkling or plain water to make crepes. You may also want to try replacing all the dairy with water.

Can you make crepes without a crepe pan?
You can make crepes in just about any nonstick frying pan. You don't need to buy a special crepe pan, though it does help if you have one handy.

What is the difference between clatite and crepes?
They are nearly the same. Clatite are the Romanian version of thin pancakes, close to French crepes, but the batter often includes sparkling water for extra lightness. Both are thin, flexible, and filled sweet or savory.

How do you pronounce clatite?
Clatite is pronounced "kluh-TEE-teh" (clătite). The singular is clatita.

What can you fill clatite with?
Fill them sweet with jam, Nutella, sweetened ricotta, fresh fruit, or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, or savory with cheese, ham, or mushrooms. Roll or fold them over the filling.

Can you make the batter in a blender?
Yes. Blend the eggs, flour, milk, sparkling water, sugar, and salt for about 20 seconds until smooth, then rest the batter before cooking.

Can you make clatite gluten-free?
Yes. Swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free flour blend and adjust the liquid a little, adding a splash more water or milk if the batter turns out too thick.

Why is my clatite batter too thick?
The batter should be a thin, pourable liquid that spreads to the edges of the pan on its own. If it pools in the middle like a pancake, whisk in a little more water or milk a tablespoon at a time until it flows easily.

How many calories are in clatite?
One clatita has about 184 calories, based on the recipe as written.

Love crepes? Try these next!

• Basic crepes
• Nalesniki (Polish crepes)
• French chocolate crepes
• Apple cinnamon crepes
• Yeasted blini

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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.