Steps

• First, sift the flour into a bowl; crack the eggs into it, add a pinch of salt, and mix with a whisk (or electric mixer).

  Gradually incorporate the cold milk, stirring continuously with the whisk.

  Add the melted butter, mix again until you get a smooth and homogeneous batter, without lumps. Cover and let it rest for about 1 hour.

• Note: The batter should be fluid but not too liquid; otherwise, it will stick to the bottom of the pan and you won’t be able to flip it.

• In the meantime, heat a pan of about 8-9 inches in diameter on low flame for a few seconds, remove it from the heat and brush with a little butter (or oil).

• Note: The pan should not be too hot, otherwise the batter will bubble, but not too cold, as the batter won’t adhere.

• Pour a ladle of batter (it should cover the bottom). Rotate the pan to distribute it evenly on the bottom, without empty spaces. It’s very likely that the first crepe will curl and not detach. If this happens, it means the pan hasn’t reached the right heat level.

• Cook the crepe for about 1 minute. The bottom should be dry and just golden. Once it takes color, it detaches easily from the pan, so flip it with a spatula (or you can grab the edge and gently lift the crepe with your fingers).

• Transfer it to a plate and proceed with the preparation of the other crepes, until you run out of the prepared batter.

  

• If you use the specific crêpe maker, just pour the batter onto the plate and flip the pan over it. The advantage of the crêpe maker is that it is specially designed to maintain the constant heat of the cooking plate, allowing you to obtain very thin and regular crepes.

  

• At this point, prepare the mushrooms. I used frozen ones. I put them still frozen in a pan with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and cooked them for about 10 minutes, then added a handful of chopped parsley and garlic. If they are too big, cut them in half and set aside.

  

• If you use fresh mushrooms, follow the instructions here.

• While they cool, prepare the béchamel sauce. Or, if you want to be quicker, use the ready-made one.

• In a thick-bottomed saucepan, melt 2 oz of butter over low heat; add the flour and stir vigorously with a whisk until it starts to bubble and turns brown (the so-called roux).

  

• Then, add the warm milk (do not let it boil) and continue to stir until you achieve a thick, but not too thick, consistency, then add salt and pepper. Keep it at room temperature

• Tip: The béchamel should not be too thick or too liquid, as it will dry out in the oven.

• Before starting to fill the crepes, cut the cooked ham into strips and then in half, then set aside.

  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 356°F.

• Put a third of the béchamel in a container and add the mushrooms. Grease a baking dish with 2-3 tablespoons of béchamel. Spread the crepes on a plate, fill them with a thin layer of béchamel and mushrooms and then with the ham.

  

• Fold them in half and then again in two, to create a fan shape, and lay it in the baking dish.

  Tip: When you fold them (as in the 1st photo), press them slightly, so the filling spreads evenly.

  

• Since one of my children doesn’t like mushrooms, I made some only with béchamel, cooked ham, and grated Fontina cheese.

  

• Once you’ve finished filling the crepes, cover them with the remaining béchamel, the grated cheese (possibly including Fontina), a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 – 25 minutes, until golden.

  

• Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving. Here are the Crepes with Mushrooms and Ham ready. Enjoy your meal!

  

• Until the next recipe.

  
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