Crespelle (Italian for “crêpes”) are easy, delicious, and versatile. You can fill and bake them with almost any stuffing. Here’s a favorite of mine, crespelle filled with a creamy mushroom ragù, as they do it in Maremma. Many wonderful dishes can be made using crespelle in place of pasta. If you have all the ingredients for a filling for lasagna, for example, but do not want to make pasta, crêpes are ideal.

　　

Ingredients

makes 12 stuffed crespelle, serving 6 or more

　　

For the Crespelle

5 large eggs

　　4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 1/2 cups water

　　1/3 teaspoon salt, plus more for the stuffing

　　1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

　　1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

　　4 tablespoons melted butter for the pans, or more if needed

　　

For Stuffing and Baking the Crespelle

5 tablespoons butter

　　1 medium-large onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

　　4 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

　　1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

　　1 1/2 pounds mixed fresh mushrooms (such as porcini, shiitake, cremini, and common white mushrooms), cleaned and sliced

　　1 1/2 cups heavy cream

　　3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

　　2 cups freshly grated Pecorino Romano

　　

Recommended Equipment

A 9-inch crêpe pan

　　A heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, 12-inch diameter or larger

　　A large baking dish or shallow casserole, 10 by 15 inches, or similar size

　　

Step 1

To make the crespelle batter, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, and 1 1/2 cups water in a large bowl until well blended. Mix in the salt and sugar, then sift the flour on top, a bit at a time, whisking each addition well to avoid lumps. You should have 3 cups of thin batter—beat in more water if necessary. Let it rest for 30 minutes.

　　

Step 2

To fry the crêpes, brush the crêpe-pan bottom with a light coating of melted butter, and set it over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Ladle 1/4 cup of batter into the pan, quickly tilt and swirl the pan so the batter coats the bottom, and cook for about 30 seconds, until the underside is lightly browned. Flip the crespella over with a spatula, and fry for another 1/2 minute, until the second side is lightly browned, then remove it to a plate.

　　

Step 3

Cook all the crespelle the same way, brushing the pan with melted butter if it seems dry or the crespelle are sticking. Stack them on the plate. (You can make them a day ahead; cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate.) Pour the remaining melted butter in the baking dish, and brush it all over the bottom and sides.

　　

Step 4

To make the stuffing, melt the 5 tablespoons of butter in the big skillet over medium heat, and stir in the onion and garlic. Raise the heat a bit, and cook for a few minutes, stirring and tossing, until the onion is wilted and starting to color, then sprinkle over it the flour, stir in well, and cook for a minute or so.

　　

Step 5

Dump in all the sliced mushrooms, season with salt, and stir and toss everything together. Cook the mushrooms for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until they’ve released their juices, wilted, and started to caramelize. Pour in the cream, bring it to the boil, stirring, and cook for a couple of minutes to thicken. Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley; adjust the seasoning to taste and let the stuffing cool a bit.

　　

Step 6

When you’re ready to stuff and bake the crespelle, preheat the oven to 400˚.

　　

Step 7

Spread 3 or 4 tablespoons of the filling on each open crêpe; fold it in half and then into quarter-rounds. Arrange the filled and folded crespelle in rows in the buttered baking dish, overlapping like fish scales, filling the entire pan. Scatter any remaining mushroom stuffing on top. (If you wish, seal the dish with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a day before baking.)

　　

Step 8

Sprinkle the grated cheese over the crespelle in a light, even layer. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, making sure it doesn’t touch the cheese and pressing it against the sides.

　　

Step 9

Bake the crespelle for about 1/2 hour and remove the foil. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the crespelle are beautifully browned on top and crisp on the edges. Let them sit for a few minutes before serving.

　　From Lidia's Italy by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. Copyright (c) 2007 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. Published by Knopf.Lidia Bastianich hosts the hugely popular PBS show, "Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen" and owns restaurants in New York City, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. Also the author of Lidia's Italian Table and Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, she lives in Douglaston, New York.