How to make pabalat lumpia (crepes)

You asked, so here it is: the family recipe for the pabalat lumpia (crepes). I decided to make some for myself as well because mom gave me too much of the palaman (the veggie stir-fry) and not enough of the pabalat. And if I have any leftover pabalat, I figured I could spread some Nutella, dust powdered sugar and have them for dessert instead.

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp melted butter, plus, 1 tsp for brushing skillet
1 1/2 cup fresh milk (your choice whether it’s skim, low-fat or whole)
1 cup flour
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt

Mix the flour, milk, eggs and salt together, adding the melted butter last. Don’t worry if it seems thin, that’s what we’re going for. Cover and refrigerate overnight. When you’re ready to make your crepe, stir the batter. Put your skillet/pan over medium heat. Brush slightly with the extra butter. I generally use 1/4 cup of batter for each crepe. Pour and swirl very quickly to cover the pan. When the sides peel away from the pan, about 2 minutes, gently lift and flip. Let it cook for a minute or so. You might need to flip a couple of times to cook crepe evenly. Watch your fingers! Makes about 12-14 eight-inch crepes. Don’t worry if the edges of the crepes are crispy at first. Set them aside and they’ll soften.

I once used the same recipe to make patko, but replaced regular flour with cassava flour and added some lime zest and a tablespoon of granulated sugar.

Article updated June 16, 2019 with new photos and improved directions.