This is definitely a “winter dish” and one of my favourite comfort foods. There is nothing better than to dig your fork into a soft crêpe-like wrap covered in béchamel sauce and grated Parmigiano and seeing the vegetables and cheese filling oozing out of it… Ok, if your mouth hasn’t started watering by now, there’s something wrong with you or with my description… just scroll down for some pictures and you will know what I mean! Crespelle are basically Italian savory crêpes that you can fill with whatever you like (usually the fillings are cured meats and/or vegetables AND cheese), topped with béchamel sauce and then baked until a nice golden crust forms on the top. They are a great dinner treat and even if a bit time consuming, you can make them over a couple of days as the fillings and the crêpes can be easily prepared in advance and kept in the fridge till you are ready to assemble and bake the dish. Enjoy!
Ingredients (makes 8 crespelle):
For the crespelle
30 gms butter
165 gms flour
350 ml milk
2 eggs
1 pinch salt
For the fillings
Radicchio & Gorgonzola
1 radicchio, shredded
1 onion, thinly chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
100 gms gorgonzola, chopped
Mushroom, Zucchini & Taleggio
1 big flat mushroom, sliced
2 zucchini, coarsely sliced
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp parlsey, thinly chopped
Salt
100 gms taleggio, chopped
For the béchamel sauce
Make half the dose of the béchamel recipe that you find in How to make béchamel sauce in the Techniques page of this blog.
Parmigiano Reggiano, thinly grated for the top
To prepare the fillings:
Wash and shred the radicchio and keep it aside.
Thinly chop the onion and put it in a large pot with the extra virgin olive oil.
Sauté for a couple of minutes until translucent, then add the shredded radicchio and salt.
Cover and let it cook on a low flame for about 10 minutes. You should not have to add water as radicchio usually creates a little liquid while cooking, but do keep an eye on it and adjust as needed. Your end result has to be rather dry though. When cooked, keep aside until cool.
Now chop the zucchini and slice the mushroom. Put the cloves of garlic and the extra virgin olive oil in a non stick pan and sauté for a couple of minutes.
Add the vegetables and salt and let them cook for 10 minutes, or until soft (NOTE: they need to be quite soft and dry).
When cooked add the chopped parlsey and keep aside until cool.
To prepare crespelle:
Put all the ingredients in an electric mixer and blend for a couple of minutes until your batter is smooth.
Let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Take a non stick frying pan and put it on the fire. When hot add ¼ tsp of butter and a ladle of batter by swirling the pan so the batter coats the base of the pan. You want to make the coating thin (about 1.5 mm thick). When the surface of the crespella dries up, it is time to flip it over. Do so by using a plastic spatula to loosen its sides first and then flip it over. Cook it for a minute more, then remove it from the pan and keep it aside. Repeat this till your batter is over (this recipe should make about 8 crespelle).
As soon as the crespelle are cool enough for you to handle them, you are ready to fill them.
Put radicchio and gorgonzola in one half of 4 of the crespelle, and put zucchini & mushrooms and taleggio in the other 4.
Fold in half and then in half again.
Take an oven proof dish, put a little béchamel on the bottom to prevent the crespelle from sticking to the bottom of the dish.
Put the crespelle in the dish on a single layer (it’s ok if they overlap a little) and cover them with the remaining béchamel sauce. Sprinkle the top with some thinly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and bake in a preheated fan forced oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes or until you get a nice golden crust on the top. Serve warm.
Why did you write the recipe in Metric, but then write the olive and parsley in Tbps?
Hi Parker,
I know it can look weird, but it is the most common way to write recipes in Australia and as I live here I have decided to stick to it. 🙂
Manu
all I can say is YUM! My mouth is watering.
I’ve never heard of crespelle before, but I am now a huge fan! All that gorgeous melted cheese (and your lovely photos) sold me!!!
This is an amazing recipe and your photos are stunning. You are welcome in my kitchen anytime. Great post!
Hi Manu, Your explanations are so clear and your pics so beautiful and full of life that is difficult not to want to try. It might not be so easy though! Thanks for sharing this beautiful post with us.
Oh Christine! Thank you so much for your kind words! I am so glad you liked the recipe! Believe me… it is easier than it seems… and the best thing about it is that even if the crespelle don’t come out perfectly round (or break a little) nobody will notice it after they are baked! 🙂
This truly looks magnificent! very delicious!
Brava Manu! sembrano deliziose e sono sicura che lo sono!
Manu, if I had been doing the photography on this shoot, there would have been big bites out of those fabulous pancakes. I just wouldn’t have been able to resist! Another lovely, lovely dish my friend.
Your first picture already convinced me that I would love this and i guessed how you prepared it. Completely wrong! It was so interesting how you prepared it and as I followed the step by step I grew more love for this dish! Japanese love béchamel sauce (we call it white sauce) and this is a perfect comfort dish in winter! I better save this for winter since I’m afraid you won’t cook this again in our winter (your summer) 😉
This looks SO delicious Manuela!! I love all the flavors and your photos are so helpful, as always! By the way, thank you sooo much for your very kind and informative post on my photography post yesterday 🙂 For some reason it won’t let me “reply” the same way WordPress does, but it meant so much!! xoxo
That does look very rich but I won’t deny my mouth isn’t watering and I’m not hiding the fact that this recipe has been saved and will be used when winter comes to my part of the world!
You had me at oozing and béchamel!
Manu, what a lovely dish, love the idea of lost of mushrooms and topping with the sauce. Beautifully done!
Hope you are having a great week 🙂
I just love crepe .. be it sweet or savory. And that brown crust it got after baking . just awsm!
Whoa these looks so good! I have never had these before- yum!!!!! Wish I could have this for dinner Manu!
Dear I started drooling as soon as you said crepe and then it kept on getting more more……. This looks so delicious, my kids will sure like this…….
Thanks soo much.
Looks so delicious! i’m making chicken mushroom crepes for dinner tonight 🙂
I have never had this or even heard of it, but right now this is all I want to eat! It looks creamy, and just incredible! Saving this for the fall!
I think the beautiful gorgonzola makes all the difference to this recipe. I love it when it has melted and imparts all its flavours to the ingredients! Looks absolutely delicious!
I love the filling, Manu…wonderful combination of flavors! I really hope we’re neighbors!
lovely- looks yum !
A very nice comfy food… wonderful and creamy!
The very definition of comfort food!
Amazing recipe Manu..I love all the flavor combinations in it
My mouth is certainly watering having read this post! Oh my, bubbly bechamel on top of soft crepes would be so welcome right now. Love the use of radicchio, isn’t it great?!
Your description is totally droolable! I never really remember about savory crepe dishes. This is outstanding!
WOW! I totally love this. I’ve made ‘panini’ crèpes with a Dijon béchamel, but this is totally over the top. Bookmarking for sure.
I’ll eat just about anything with bechamel! Yum. Bookmarking this one.
You’re making me crave those cold winter nights where I just want to curl up on the coach and eat something warm and delicious! This looks absolutely fabulous!
Manu these look unreal!! My mouth is totally watering and I am so stashing this recipe away for the winter!
I love crespelles! Your fillings are intriguing and look absolutely delicious. I will have to try these new variations…when I feel like cooking again! Not in the mood lately.
Oh wow, this looks good! Congratulations on it getting top nine. I want this… all to myself. My husband and kids can eat canned ravioli 😀
Manu qui in italia sono le sette e venti del mattino ma dopo il tuo reportage mi è venuta una voglia di crespelle… le addenterei adesso! Anche io le faccio, devo provare con i tuoi fantastici ripieni!
OMG.. the amount of cheese lathered on the mushroom just makes me want to MELT…
def. COMFORT FOOD… !!!
Manu, these crespelles totally rock! As soon as I read your second sentence, I knew I would be hooked. This recipe has been bookmarked for future cravings :-).
Yummy, yummy!! My mamma makes these and are to die for!!!! So I know what you mean by comfort food and winter food!! Oh now that we are having sub zero temps could be a very nice time to have some of these, again! 😉 Cheer up girl!
Although My family and friends love my risotto I always have some left over for risotto cakes the next day. No left overs with this dish only, did you make more?
Hhehehe I always make a little extra and eat it over a couple of days… it is a little time consuming to make, so better make more and enjoy it! 🙂
Loves the combination of all the ingredients & the way u put & layer it on the baking pan 🙂
Great dish! & congratz for the top 9 today on Foodbuzz manu! 😉
Wonderful dish you’ve made here. Love it. Congrats on top 9.
This looks so delicious! Cheesy and with all those yummy veggies… Manu, I want to make everything you post… Everything looks & sounds so good… 🙂
Can you come make this for me for dinner? I am in dire need of comfort food and this looks so perfect and delicious and warming. I dont even care if it is 40 outside, I can just crank up the AC and dig in right?
All I can think after seeing your post is: I should make crepes more often!!
SENSATIONAL!
I made these earlier this week. They are so delicious and were much appreciated! Both fillings were equally great. What a nice change from the more typical crespelle filled with ricotta and spinach and covered in a tomato base sauce. My mum used to make them often. I’ll be making your ones again for sure.
Thanks so much!