enjoy the bourriol, this typical crepe from Cantal

Thursday, February 2, we celebrate Candlemas. Let yourself be tempted by bourriol, this typical Cantal dish. We give you an easy to make recipe.

If you are interested in the culinary heritage of Auvergne, you have undoubtedly tasted the truffade and the potato pâté. But have you ever been tempted by bourriol? It is a buckwheat crepe that finds its roots in Cantal. An ideal dish to taste for Candlemas, this Thursday, February 2.

When it comes to Cantal traditions, Daniel Brugès, author and illustrator, is unbeatable. He notably published the “Mountain Recipes” with Christiane Valat, published by De Borée. He explains : “ Regarding the origin of bourriol, I have never found any precise document but it seems that it is linked to the Catholic religion and the Candlemas festival. With the days getting longer, the bourriol, reminiscent of divine light, was thus given pride of place. A 5th-century pope had made pancakes the dish of Candlemas, celebrated on February 2, 40 days after Christmas. “. Bourriol, made from very few ingredients, was mostly prepared on farms. Some peasants even ate it instead of bread: this is called ” the daytime bourriol without bread “.

This dish is very well known in Cantal. But for the sector of Saint-Flour and Margeride, it is better known under the name of pacade, which elsewhere designates another dish. Bourriol is more localized in the north of Cantal, in Aurillac, the Châtaigneraie cantalienne but also in Aveyron. Daniel Bruges says: “ It takes its name from a few villages which used a pan without an edge to cook it and which was placed in the hearth of the fireplace. “. Originally, bourriol was eaten without garnish. Old people ate it with a simple knob of butter. Today, Chandeleur obliges, it is the sweet filling that dominates and the bourriol can thus be accompanied by a jam.

Since December 2021, in Clermont-Ferrand, a restaurant owner has chosen to bring bourriol up to date. You can enjoy this dish in a savory or sweet version. Estelle Hebrard, creator of Well Rolled, details the recipe for the dough: “ To make about twenty bourriols, prepare 750 g of buckwheat flour, 250 g of wheat flour to soften, 10 g of salt, 30 g of fresh yeast, 1 liter of water and 1 liter of milk. It’s a super simple recipe. It doesn’t matter if there are lumps because there is a 12 to 24 hour set time, and the paste will work and it will create a natural whipping effect. Once you’ve let your dough set and the yeast has worked well, there are no lumps at all, with just a little whipping. Let the dough rest at room temperature if the room is warm enough. You need at least a room at 22 or even 23 degrees to let the dough rest “. Bourriol is cooked unilaterally, that is to say on one side. Once the craters have formed well, you can add the filling.

Estelle Hebrard indicates that we have to fight to make this Cantal specialty known: ” It remains a bit of a niche product. But we have to educate and remind people what bourriol is. We’re going a long way! Customers don’t always know that it’s a specialty of Cantal. We have people for whom it evokes something but who have never tasted it. There are those who know but do not necessarily have a good memory. It’s really random “. The restaurateur has chosen to modernize a traditional dish: “ Our initial desire was that the recipe should not be lost. Once it’s skipped a generation, it’s too late and gone. You don’t really find bourriol in recipe books. It’s more of Auvergne oral transmission. The goal was to make the recipe attractive to the younger generation. This allows this Auvergne gastronomic tradition to continue. We try to offer bourriol in a more modern way, with meats, sauces, garnishes that are more in tune with the times “.

The bourriol offers many possibilities: “ It’s a base, a bit like the Breton galette. The traditional recipe will put bacon and potatoes, but in absolute terms, you can put whatever you want. We can decline a garnish almost to infinity “. Estelle Hebrard continues: “ We change our menu very regularly. At the moment, we are offering a recipe with a free range pig sausage from Auvergne. It is snacked a bit like a blood sausage. It is crispy, accompanied by a Cantal and Saint-Nectaire sauce, with fried onions “.

The restaurant owner also offers sweet bourriols, like the one with blueberry jam: “ For the bourriol with blueberry jam from Corrèze, let the bourriol cook to the end, without anything. Once it comes out of the crepe maker or frying pan, we put the jam on it. The sweet bourriol is really best hot. With buckwheat, there is a salty side that stands out. For the jam, as there is no sugar in the dough, do not hesitate to be generous. You can decline the bourriol with a caramel spread, with Auvergne honey “.

In savory or sweet version, it’s up to you, especially for Candlemas, this Thursday, February 2.