Today I present you with a recipe that combines simplicity and flavor in an extraordinary way: mushroom and cooked ham crepes. These are savory crepes filled with an irresistible combination of cooked ham, sautéed champignon mushrooms, and fresh ricotta, folded into triangles and baked to gratin with a bit of béchamel, until achieving a light and inviting golden hue.
The mushroom crepes prepared in this way can serve both as a first course, similar to baked pasta, or as a tasty main dish that’s different from the usual: the crepes are akin in taste to egg pasta, yet the substantial filling makes them suitable to replace a main dish as well. The mushroom and cooked ham crepes are a proposal that combines practicality and taste, perfect for those looking for something tasty without excessive complications: they are also great when you have guests, because they can be prepared in advance and cooked in the oven just before serving.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 633.83 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 49.75 (g) of which sugars 10.61 (g)
- Proteins 29.78 (g)
- Fat 36.77 (g) of which saturated 19.97 (g)of which unsaturated 11.39 (g)
- Fibers 2.43 (g)
- Sodium 530.61 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 230 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 8 mushroom and ham savory crepes
If you are celiac, you can make gluten-free crepes using this recipe and the béchamel using this recipe. Check that the cooked ham has the label “gluten-free.”
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or rice flour for the gluten-free version)
- 2 tbsps butter
- 1 pinch salt
- 9 oz champignon mushrooms
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 2.5 oz cooked ham
- 10.5 oz cow's milk ricotta
- 2 tbsps Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
- 1 sprig parsley (chopped)
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 1/4 cups béchamel
- 1 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
Tools
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Brush soft bristle
- 1 Pan non-stick
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Baking dish
How to prepare mushroom and cooked ham crepes
To prepare the savory crepes with mushrooms and ham, start by preparing the crepes as indicated here. While the crepes cool, take care of the mushrooms: remove the end of the stem, usually full of dirt. Then brush them with a soft-bristle brush to remove the dirt from the rest of the mushroom. If you prefer to remove the outer skin.
Then slice them fairly thinly (1). In a large non-stick pan briefly sauté the peeled garlic clove in the oil, then add the mushrooms (2).
Lightly salt them and cook over high heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until they are soft (3). Then remove the garlic, turn off the heat, and let them cool.
If you are not using ready-made béchamel, prepare it by following the instructions in this recipe (4). Proceed to prepare the filling: chop the cooked ham with a knife (5). In a bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, a pinch of salt, chopped parsley, and nutmeg (6).
Mix thoroughly with a spoon to blend the ingredients well (7). If you have difficulty because the ricotta seems too dry, you can soften it with a tablespoon or two of milk.
Then add the cooked ham and now cooled mushrooms, keeping aside a spoon or two, if you wish, to decorate the finished dish (8). Gently mix to incorporate them into the filling (9).
It’s time to fill your savory crepes: place a crepe on a cutting board and spread it entirely with a generous spoonful of filling (10). Do not put too much filling in the center or when you fold it, it may break.
Then fold the crepe over itself, forming a half-moon (11). Fold it again in half to form a kind of triangle (12). Continue this way with the other 7 crepes.
Lightly coat the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold the 8 crepes in a single layer, or at most slightly overlapping (13-14).
Arrange the filled crepes and garnish with the remaining béchamel. Finish with a bit of grated Parmesan (15). Bake the mushroom and ham crepes in the preheated oven at 355°F (static) for about 30 minutes or until golden on top (16).
Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving. If you saved some already cooked mushrooms, you can use them to garnish the crepes.
Storage
Mushroom and cooked ham crepes can also be prepared a day or two in advance, placed in a dish, seasoned, and stored in the fridge covered with a sheet of plastic wrap. If you want to freeze them, you can do the same, using a freezer-safe dish, and cook them while still frozen, increasing the cooking time by about 15-20 minutes.
Tips and Variations
If you have porcini mushrooms – fresh or frozen – you can use them instead of champignons, cooking them as indicated in this recipe. Another way to add more flavor to the filling is to add 0.35 oz of dried porcini mushrooms to the champignons: soak them in warm water for 10 minutes, squeeze them well, and cut them into strips, then add them to the pan with the champignon mushrooms.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What can I use instead of ricotta?
Ricotta serves to provide texture to the filling without overpowering the taste of the other ingredients; you can replace it with another spreadable cheese.
What can I use instead of cooked ham?
You can use speck, mortadella, or a sausage: in that case, crumble it and briefly brown it in a pan before adding it to the filling.
