Crespelle are thin, soft sort of crêpe, which you can fill with your favorite sweet or savory ingredients. The best part? They’re pretty easy to make: Just mix milk, flour, eggs, and a pinch of salt and voilà! The crespelle are ready. But if you want to make them to perfection, follow the tips suggested by our very own chefs from La Cucina Italiana's Cooking School.
How to make crespelle
If you have decided to make crespelle, remember to make the batter in advance. In fact, the crespelle dough must rest in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Once the necessary time has elapsed, you must turn the mixture out and form very thin sheets that you’ll bake in a non-stick pre-heated pan. Be careful not to overcook them!
Savory crespelle fillings
There are endless ways to stuff savory crespelle: vegetable mousse, cheese, meat, or even fish ragù. These savory crespelle go very well with a fish vellutata for a contrast of flavor. Alternatively, use crespelle instead of egg pasta, also for desserts.
Sweet crespelle fillings
Sweet crespelle can be filled with a fruit salad and whipped cream or with a cream cheese spread – or any other cream you like, really. An original idea? Serve it hot – caramelized in a pan with fresh fruit juice or flambéed with a liqueur. For these fillings, accompany the crespelle with a scoop of ice cream for a pleasant contrast between the hot and cold temperatures.
Assembling filled crespelle
You can enclose the crespelle fillings three different ways: The cannelloni method, which uses a handkerchief; by folding them in half twice; or closed with a thread of chives and blanched for just a few seconds.