I had already told you about my passion for cannelloni, particularly the ricotta-and-spinach kind. I love them not only because they’re delicious but also because they evoke childhood memories when my grandmother Lisetta used to make them. Because of the “love” I feel for them, I try to prepare them as often as possible, though I don’t always have the time — even if they’re easy, they require quite a bit of work. To satisfy my cravings and help with my perpetual race against time, I found a great alternative: crepes!!!! Crepes can be prepared in very little time, even the day before; the filling takes only a few minutes, then a short gratin in the oven or even a quick pan-finish, and it’s done — you can enjoy them in no time.
A first course, also vegetarian, of CREPES with SPINACH and RICOTTA, perfect for a family lunch or dinner but also to serve guests for an evening with friends — you’ll see they’ll disappear quickly and children will love them too.
So what are you waiting for? Read the recipe and make the ricotta-and-spinach crepes with me.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Cooking time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 egg (WHOLE)
- 1 cup 00 flour (all-purpose)
- 1 cup whole milk
- butter (for greasing the pan)
- 1 pinch salt
- 11 oz spinach (fresh (about 10 cups raw))
- 1 cup ricotta
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (grated)
- to taste salt
Preparation
First of all, clean the spinach by washing it well in cold water to remove any dirt. Drain and pat dry with a dish towel to remove excess water. Heat a non-stick pan with 2 tablespoons of oil, add the spinach, cover and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until wilted. Season with salt. Once cooked, let them cool slightly and, if necessary, squeeze a little of the cooking water out. When cooled, roughly chop them with a knife or mezzaluna. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta with 1 tablespoon of oil, season with salt (and a pinch of pepper if you like), and add the grated cheese so that all the ingredients combine. Add the spinach and mix everything again. Now your filling for the crepes is ready.
To make perfect crepes click here Basic crepes recipe
Place a crepe on a plate and spoon two tablespoons of the ricotta-and-spinach filling into the center, then spread it evenly over the surface. Fold the crepe in half to form a semicircle, then fold it again to create a wedge. Continue this way until all the filling is used up.
For oven cooking, arrange the crepes in a lightly buttered baking dish, dot with a few knobs of butter and sprinkle with Parmesan. Gratin for about 5 minutes at 356°F. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn — the surface should be slightly browned. Serve strictly hot!
Notes
If you really don’t want to wait for the oven to heat and you’re in a hurry you can cook them in a pan. In this case, take a non-stick pan, butter it lightly, place it over medium heat and when it’s hot put your crepes in. Cook them over high heat for 1 minute per side. You’ll see the surface of the crepe will brown and become slightly crispy. If you opt for pan-cooking I recommend adding a few spoonfuls (tablespoons) of a good tomato sauce on top — it will make them even more flavorful and lighter.
As always, for a perfect result what makes the difference is the quality of the ingredients, especially when these — as in our case — are practically just two. So go for fresh spinach (definitely better than frozen), and choose a good, fresh ricotta that is not industrial (whether cow, sheep, mixed or buffalo doesn’t matter much).
