The Matefaim Lyonnais looks a lot like a cross between a normal cake and a traditional crêpe. As with most specialties originating from Lyon, it is a rich taste. Its name refers to an expression from the “Parler Lyonnais” dialect, “Mater la faim” which means “suppressing the appetite”.
Typically, a Matefaim is made of apples, but you can also have pear or potato Matefaim, which makes it even richer! Originally, the Matefaim would have been a potato dish that was eaten by farmers requiring a substantial meal in the morning to help them endure their daily labour.
The Matefaim has since evolved into a thick crêpe made of flour, eggs and water and can be a sweet or savoury dish depending on your tastes. For a savoury Matefaim add a cheese of your choice to the mixture or alternatively add any combination of milk, sugar and fruit for a sweet version!
Ingredients
- 200g of flour
- 2 eggs
- 100g of caster sugar
- 250mL of milk
- 4 apples
- 50 mL of oil
- 3 soup-spoons of pear alcohol (optional)
- A pinch of salt
Method
- In a salad bowl, blend the eggs, half of the sugar and a pinch of salt together using a whisk. – Add the flour and about half of the oil and whisk again.
- Add the milk cold and, if you want to, three soup-spoons of pear alcohol!
- Stir hard until the mixture is smooth (no lumps!).
- Set aside for about two hours.
- Peel and core the apples and grate them. Then, add the remaining sugar. Add this to the set pastry and stir.
- In a large frying pan, add the remaining oil. When the oil is hot, pour the entire mix into the pan.
- It needs to cook for about half an hour on a low heat, turning every five to ten minutes… just like a big crêpe!
