Crespolini with Mushrooms and Ricotta

Crespolini are small, thin, pancakes filled with something savoury and finished in the oven with either a sauce or a sprinkling of cheese. However, they can be served as soon as they are cooked and in this recipe the filling is a speedy mix of mushrooms and ricotta rolled inside the pancakes and served as they are, with a little parmesan cheese. If you wish to make them in advance and serve them in the traditional way, they can be filled and returned to the frying pan to re-heat in the oven. See the note at the end of this recipe.

Makes 8 Crespolini, Serves 4

Crespolini:

• 125g (1 cup) plain flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 medium size eggs
• 250ml semi-skimmed milk
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• A little vegetable oil for frying

Filling:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 225g (8 ounces) chestnut mushrooms, chopped roughly
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 125g (½ cup) ricotta cheese
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese

1) For the crespolini  sift the flour and salt into a bowl and gradually beat in the eggs, milk and the 2 teaspoons of olive oil, to make a very smooth batter. If possible leave the batter to rest for 30 minutes before using.
 
 2) For the first crespolini, add approximately one teaspoon of oil to the frying pan and heat this over a medium setting. Turn the pan when the oil is hot so that it gives a film to the bottom of the pan. Ladle in just enough batter to thinly cover the base of the pan. Cook until bubbles can be seen rising under the surface. Flip over and cook the other side until it is pale golden brown. Slide the crespolini on to a plate and loosely cover with aluminium foil. Wipe the pan’s surface with a smear of oil between crespolini and continue cooking until all the batter is used. Keep warm.
 
 3) Using the same pan (there is no need to wash it) heat the olive oil for the filling and add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook these, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are just beginning to soften. Add the parsley, ricotta and some seasoning and continue cooking and stirring just until the mixture is evenly hot.
 
 4) Spoon a little of the mushroom filling along the centre of each of the crespolini and from one edge roll them up enclosing the filling.
 
 Serve as quickly as possible sprinkled with a little freshly grated parmesan cheese.
 
 To prepare in advance for re-heating, make to the completion of point 4. Rinse and dry the pan and oil lightly. Pack the filled crespolini closely together in the pan, in two layers if necessary, and sprinkle with the parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake in the pan, in the oven, at 180˚C / 350˚F / gas mark 4 or fan oven 170˚C for 15 minutes.