Ricotta, Spinach, and Mushroom filled Crepe
Medically reviewed by Christiana George Updated Date: December 17, 2022
Before meeting my husband’s family, I would never have thought to use crepes for dinner. The crepes my mother made were always topped with maple syrup. That’s the Canadian way.
My mother-in-law, who is Argentinian from Italian descent, had different ideas. She would fill crepes with cream of corn, top it with pasta sauce and cheese. My sister-in-law, also Argentinian, would fill them with ricotta like manicotti.
The crepes bring the whole dish to a new level. The slightly sweet flavor of the crepes taste so much better than pasta and they are much easier to fill than manicotti tubes.
You can make this with just ricotta, spinach and herbs, but I like to add onions and mushrooms. I saute them in some butter until they are brown before adding them to the ricotta mix.
I also used fresh herbs in this recipe since I have had some success this summer with my little herb garden on my deck. But feel free to use dry herbs. Just remember 1 tablespoon fresh herbs = 1 tsp dry herbs.
Now this recipe may take a lot of time, but it is worth it. You can make the crepes ahead of time and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. I made mine the night before. You can also skip the cheesy white sauce, but I wouldn’t. I think it compliments it well.
Ricotta, Spinach, and Mushroom Filled Crepe
by The Sweet Chick
Prep Time: 30-40 minutes
Cook Time: 20-30 minutes
Keywords: bake entree crepes ricotta spinach mushroom
Ingredients (9 filled crepes)
For the crepes
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
For the filling
- 1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms ( I used Baby Bella)
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon butter/margarine
- 3 cups frozen spinach
- 1 container (8 oz.) ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella, Italian blend, or Swiss)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the red sauce
- 1 jar (24 oz.) pasta sauce (I used Classico marina sauce)
For the cheesy white sauce
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons butter/margarine
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese (mozarella, Italian blend, or Swiss)
Instructions
For the crepes
In a blender or with hand mixer, combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth.
Heat a medium sized nonstick skillet with flared sides over medium-high heat.
Remove from heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter into skillet; lift and tilt the skillet to spread batter evenly across bottom of skillet. Don’t worry if it is not a perfect circle. They will taste just the same.
Return to heat. Cook about 1 minute or until light brown.
Flip crepe with a spatula and cook the other side for about 30 seconds.
Cool crepe on paper towels. Repeat with remaining batter.
For the filling
Heat a nonstick skillet on medium-high and add butter.
Once butter is melted, add onions and mushrooms. Saute until onions are a light golden brown and mushrooms are soft. Set aside.
In a microwaveable container, place the frozen spinach and place in microwave for 2-3 minutes until fully defrosted. Let is cool off.
Once it is cooled off, using a paper towel or a colander, squeeze out as much water as possible from the spinach.
In a medium sized bowl put in the ricotta, egg, parmesan cheese, and shredded cheese. Mix well. Then add the onions, mushroom, and spinach and mix again.
Next add the basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper. Mix until everything is well blended.
Take a crepe and fill the middle with about 3 tablespoons of the filling. Roll up the crepe like a tube and place in a 9 x 13 glass Pyrex dish. Repeat with the remaining crepes.
For the red sauce
Set oven for 350º F.
Once all filled crepes are in the dish, pour the entire jar of pasta sauce over the crepes. With the back of a large spoon, spread the sauce evenly over all the crepes. Place uncovered dish in oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the sauce starts to bubble.
For the cheesy white sauce
While the crepes are baking, in a small saucepan, combine milk and cornstarch and stir until dissolved. Add butter/margarine, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium heat for 1 minute stirring constantly.
Slowly add shredded cheese and whisk until all cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
Then remove from heat, cover and set aside.
Once crepes are done baking, serve on a plate and pour a little (or a lot) white sauce over the crepes.
You can add some fresh crushed black pepper or grated parmesan on top. Voila, done. Enjoy!
Note
If you want to use dried herbs, just remember 1 tablespoon fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
Update : This recipe was featured on Yummly.
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Brioche Hamburger Buns, Or Let’s Get That Grill Fired Up
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always viewed hamburger buns as purely functional things. They’re receptacles, carb-wrappers, so you don’t get your hands dirty while eating the truly desirable bits within. Cheese, for instance, and grilled onions, and sauteed mushrooms. Oh right, and the patty too.
Buns are integral to the entire structure of the burger, yet they’ve done little to niggle my desire, warrant my enthusiasm, or raise lustful thoughts (and shouldn’t they? Given their namesake and all). Until now, that is.
These buns—blogged about by Deb and later Sara—are dreamy: as in, they bake like a dream, come together in a cinch, and their ingredients can be found in most anyone’s pantry. They’re also versatile: I chose all-purpose, whole wheat, and rye flour to go in mine, and they came out hearty but light, soft but complex. But most importantly, they raise the hamburger bun to a higher echelon, one that will no longer be left until the end as an afterthought. And is there anything worse than forcing yourself to eat afterthoughts?
You’ll be ready to fire up your grill after making these.
BRIOCHE HAMBURGER BUNS
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Sprouted Kitchen
Makes 8 regular-sized buns
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp warm milk
2 tsp active dry yeast
2-1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rye flour
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp salt
2-1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
sesame seeds (if desired)
Directions:
In a glass measuring cup, combine one cup warm water, milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about five minutes. Meanwhile, beat one egg.
In a large bowl, whisk the flours with the salt. Add the butter by rubbing it into the flour between your fingers, making crumbs. Stir in the yeast mixture and beaten egg until a dough forms. Scrape onto a clean, well-floured counter and knead (by scooping it, slapping it onto the counter, and turning) until smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes). It should be sticky, so try not to knead in too much flour.
Shape the dough into a ball and return it to the bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled (1 to 2 hours).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. Gently roll each ball and arrange them 2 to 3 inches apart. Cover the baking sheet loosely and let the dough rise until doubled (1 to 2 hours).
Set a shallow pan with water in it on your oven floor or lower rack. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Beat the other egg with 1 Tbsp of water and brush the egg wash onto the buns. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top, if using. Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes (turning halfway through), until the buns are golden-brown. Transfer to a rack and cool.
Note: I kept them in the fridge for about a week after I baked them and they still tasted good. Just heat them up on the grill or toast them right before eating.
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