Ah, the wonderful Italian crepes, the crespelle, can be enjoyed in so many ways and permutations. for a fast and easy method, simply roll up the crespelle like a tortilla and eat plain. Fillings and broths are another way to go. Really there are endless possibilities, and if you make a batch, they will keep in the fridge three days, so you can experiment. There are some ideas below.
For your entertainment pleasure I made a video in my little kitchen. Here is the video with recipe to follow:
Some ideas for Crespelle:
Drown in your favorite vegetable or meat broth. Roll crespelle like a tortilla, place seam side down in a soup bowl, and ladle broth over crespelle. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and serve nice and hot.
Make ricotta filling: In a mixing bowl combine 1/4 cup steamed, chopped spinach, 1/2 cup ricotta, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more to sprinkle on top). Add salt to taste and mix well. Place 2 tablespoons of filling along the center of a crespelle and roll up like a cannelloni. Place side by side in a greased 9 x 11 baking pan, seam side down. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and cook uncovered at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.
Crespelle – Italian Crepes
Ingredients
1 ½ cups flour
2 cups milk (can substitute almond milk)
8 large eggs, beaten slightly
¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, minced
Salt to taste
2 – 3 grinds black pepper
A pinch of fresh nutmeg
butter for greasing the pan
Directions
Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes
Makes 24 crespelle
- Measure and sift flour in a large bowl.
- Mix eggs, milk, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a separate bowl and whisk well.
- Add the egg mixture into the flour, whisking constantly to mix well. Use a hand-held mixer to incorporate all lumps and make a smooth batter.
- Heat a 8 inch frying pan or a crepe pan to medium. Coat well with butter.
- Measure 2 tablespoons of batter and pour into the center of the pan. Tip the pan to evenly distribute the batter to the edges of the pan.
- Heat for 1 minute or until the batter is solid and just cooked through. Turn crespelle over and cook for 10 – 15 seconds on the second side.
- Remove the crepe and put on a plate to cool.
- The crespelle can be used right away or covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Buon appetito!
