Happy Easter!

I hope you all enjoyed your holiday! I am going to share a recipe that my mom always makes on Easter which is Crespelle alla Bolognese which she learned from a Marcella Hazan cookbook. This is similar to a crepe but it is filled with Bolognese sauce. I have also created a photo gallery depicting the different steps. Onto the recipe!


For 6 Crespelle (may double or triple as needed)

Bolognese Sauce (2 1/2 cups) -

• 2 tablespoons of yellow onion
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons of chopped carrot
• 3/4 lb of fresh ground chuck
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup of whole milk
• pinch (or more) of nutmeg to taste
• 2 cups of canned italian tomatoes
  
• salt to taste

Directions

• Saute onion in oil and butter until transparent, add carrot and celery and cook about 3-5 minutes more
• Add meat - crumbling and cooking until no pink shows
• Add salt and wine and turn up the heat to medium high and let wine evaporate
• Add milk and cook until it evaporates
• Add nutmeg to taste and tomatoes
• Lower the heat to slow simmer and cook 3 1/2 - 4 hours uncovered

Crepelle (about 6)

Ingredients

• Crepe pan or small frying pan
• 1 cup of whole milk
• 3/4 cup of flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt

Directions

• Mix flour into milk in a bowl - when mixed add salt and eggs and mix well again
• Heat saute pan (crepe pan) and smear it with butter
• When very hot - add about 2 tablespoons of batter to pan and tilt until the pan is coated
• When set, flip over (whole process takes about 1 minute)
• Don't flip too soon or crepe will tear
• Set aside to make bechamel sauce
  

Bechamel Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cups of milk
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  

Directions

• Heat milk until almost boiling - Remove from heat
• In a deep saucepan, melt butter and flour and cook, constantly stirring, about 3-4 minutes
• Add hot milk, about 2 tablespoons at a time
• STIR WELL after each addition
• When 1/2 of milk is absorbed put in the rest and mix well
• Set aside

[ Grate 1 cup fresh parmigiano cheese and preheat oven to 450 degrees ]

Assembly - you will need a lightly greased baking pan and a medium mixing bowl

• Take 3/4 of the Bolognese sauce and put int a bowl and add about 2 tablespoons of the Bechamel sauce and stir together
• Take a crespelle and put about 2 tablespoons of the mixture above and put in in the top center of the crepe and roll then place it in the pan seam side down
• Place all rolls in the pan
  
• To the remaining Bolognese sauce add 4 more tablespoons of the Bechamel sauce (or more untill it is creamy) and spread over the top of the rolls
• Add dollops of the plain remaining Bechamel sauce over the top as well
• Sprinkle generously with grated fresh parmigiano cheese to taste
• Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes until bubbly and slightly brown
  

Mangia Bene!