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Baked crespelle alla fiorentina with spinach ricotta filling under golden bubbling béchamel and parmesan in a ceramic dish

Crespelle alla Fiorentina with Spinach and Ricotta

Thin homemade crepes rolled with spinach and ricotta, baked under a nutmeg béchamel until golden at the edges.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course (Pasta)
Cuisine: Italian (Tuscan)
Calories: 520

Ingredients
  

Crespelle Batter
  • 125 g all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 300 ml whole milk
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 15 g butter, melted plus extra for greasing the pan
Spinach Ricotta Filling
  • 500 g fresh spinach or 300 g frozen, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 250 g ricotta whole-milk, drained if watery
  • 50 g parmesan, grated
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg freshly grated preferred
  • salt and pepper to taste
Béchamel and Topping
  • 40 g butter
  • 40 g all-purpose flour
  • 500 ml whole milk
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • salt to taste
  • 50 g parmesan, grated for the top

Method
 

Make the Crespelle Batter
  1. Whisk the flour, eggs, milk and a pinch of salt together until smooth, then stir in the melted butter.
  2. Rest the batter for 10 minutes at room temperature so the flour hydrates fully.
Cook the Crespelle
  1. Heat a lightly buttered 8-inch nonstick pan over medium heat.
  2. Pour in about 60 ml of batter, swirl to coat the pan thinly, and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until pale gold with light brown spots.
  3. Stack the cooked crespelle on a plate with parchment between layers while you make the filling.
Make the Filling
  1. Wilt the spinach in a dry pan over medium heat for 3 minutes, then cool and squeeze out excess water.
  2. Chop the spinach and mix with ricotta, 50 g parmesan, egg yolk, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Make the Béchamel
  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, whisk in the flour, and cook 1 minute until pale and foamy.
  2. Add the milk gradually, whisking constantly, and cook 5 to 6 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
  3. Season with nutmeg and salt.
Assemble and Bake
  1. Heat the oven to 200C/390F.
  2. Spread a thin layer of béchamel across the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  3. Spoon filling down the center of each crespella, roll it up, and arrange seam-side down in the dish.
  4. Pour the remaining béchamel over the top and scatter with the remaining 50 g parmesan.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling at the edges.
  6. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Rest the crepe batter 10 minutes before cooking the first one
  • Squeeze spinach bone-dry to keep the filling from weeping
  • Whisk béchamel over low heat, never let it boil hard
  • Bake until edges bubble and brown, about 20 minutes at 200C