Mushroom crespelle

Say “ciao” to the crepe's Italian cousin, crespelle. I wrote this recipe during a visit to Italy, so making it takes me right back to Tuscany. These have a mushroom and ricotta filling and are served with a brown butter, sage and mushroom sauce.

Mushroom crespelle. Credit: Mary Makes It Easy / Geoff George

• serves

  3

• prep

  35 minutes

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Crespelle

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (250 ml) milk
• 1 cup (130 g) flour
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 14 g (3 tsp) butter, melted
• Butter or oil, for cooking

Filling and sauce

• 250-300 g sliced mushrooms
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 14 g + 113 g unsalted butter, divided
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed (minced)
• 1½ cups (375 g) ricotta cheese
• ½ cup (40 g) finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 egg yolk
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 lemon
• 1½ tbsp thinly sliced sage, divided
• ½ cup (125 ml) loosely packed basil

Standing time: 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Instructions

1. For the crespelle, whisk together the eggs and milk then add in the flour and salt. Whisk well until smooth then stir in the butter. Set the batter aside at room temperature for 1 hour or in the fridge for up to 2 days. 
2. Place a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Very lightly grease the pan with butter or oil and pour a generous quarter cup of batter into the pan. Quickly tilt and swirl the pan to evenly coat the pan with the batter. Cook for about 1 minute on the first side or until lightly golden brown then flip and continue to cook for 30 seconds on the second side. Transfer the crespelle to a plate and continue cooking the remaining batter. You should end up with 8 or 9 crespelle.
3. Heat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
4. For the filling, place a medium skillet over medium heat. Add in the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes or until the mushrooms release some of their liquid and begin to pick up a little colour. Add in 1 tablespoon of butter and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
5. Turn off the heat under the pan. Transfer 3/4 of the mushrooms to a large bowl and the remaining mushrooms into a small dish.
6. Into the larger bowl, add the ricotta, Parmigiano, egg yolk, and nutmeg along with the zest and juice of half of the lemon and 1 tablespoon of sage. Season with salt and pepper and stir well to combine. Divide the mixture over the crespelle and spread into an even layer. Fold in half and then in half again into triangles and lay, slightly overlapping, into a sheet pan. Bake the crespelle for 15 to 20 minutes just until heated through and lightly crisp around the edge.
7. Meanwhile, make the sauce by returning the pan to medium heat. Add in the remaining ½ cup of butter to melt and brown. This should take about 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. When golden brown flecks appear, turn the heat off and stir in the remaining tablespoon of sage and the zest and juice of the remaining lemon half. Season with a bit of nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and stir through the cooked mushrooms, just to heat through.
8. Serve the crespelle with the brown butter and mushrooms spooned over top along with a scattering of Parmigiano and fresh basil leaves.

Tip

Leftovers are great the next day heated in the oven and served with a fried egg on top.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.