Cannelloni di crespelle

Crepe Cannelloni is a delicious dish that merges the tastiness of cannelloni with the lightness of crepes, an Italian version of crêpes. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• For the crepes:
  • 2 eggs
  • 250 ml of milk
  • 120 g of flour
  • A pinch of salt
• For the filling:
  • 500 g of ricotta
  • 150 g of cooked and squeezed spinach
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Nutmeg to taste
  • 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• For the béchamel sauce:
  • 50 g of butter
  • 50 g of flour
  • 500 ml of milk
  • Salt and nutmeg to taste
• To complete:
  • Tomato sauce to taste
  • grated Parmesan cheese for grating

Preparation

1. Begin by preparing the crepes by mixing the eggs with milk, flour, and a pinch of salt. Let the batter rest for about 30 minutes.
2. Heat a non-stick pan and pour in a little bit of the batter, tilting the pan to spread it evenly. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden and set the crepes aside.
3. For the filling, mix the ricotta with the cooked and squeezed spinach, add salt, pepper, nutmeg, and the Parmesan. Mix well until you have a homogeneous mixture.
4. For the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and stir quickly. Gradually add the hot milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Season with salt and nutmeg and cook until it thickens.
5. Fill the crepes with the ricotta and spinach filling, roll them up to form the cannelloni, and place them in a baking tray.
6. Cover the cannelloni with tomato sauce and béchamel, sprinkle with grated Parmesan, and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 20-30 minutes until nicely au gratin.

Trivia

Cannelloni is a classic of Italian cuisine, and by using crepes instead of the classic pasta sheets, this dish becomes lighter and more refined, without losing in flavor and texture.

Here’s to you a delicious Italian variant of a traditional dish. Enjoy your meal!