Crespelle with Bechamel
Besciamella, or béchamel brings up a constant diatribe between the French and Italians regarding the origin of béchamel. French food historians credit Marquis Louis de béchamel for creating the sauce in the seventeenth century, however Italian food historians claim besciamella was created in Tuscany where it is called glue sauce, because it is used as binder for many food preparations. Meanwhile, other food historians thank Queen Consort Catherine de Medici who brought besciamella to the French Court when she married the King of France and it then appeared in French texts in 1651 in the recipe book Le Cusinier, a text considered the foundation of French cuisine.
Regardless of who first created béchamel, one thing is for sure - it is loved by all.
In this recipe, velvety béchamel showcases the savory combination of sweet crepes filled with garlic, onions, mushrooms, ham, mozzarella and ricotta, and adds a luxurious flavor to every bite.
Béchamel is a mixture of flour, milk, butter and nutmeg. The key to making a perfect sauce is in the cooking, please note that the longer the béchamel sauce is cooked, the thicker it becomes.
Ingredients
Filling:
Crepes:
Bechamel Sauce
Preparation
-
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
In a large pan, heat olive oil then add garlic, onion, and a pinch of parsley. Toss in mushrooms and ham and sauté in the pan for several minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
While the filling is cooling, put flour in a bowl and make a well to add the eggs. Beat the eggs in the well first, then slowly start to incorporate the flour. Slowly, start to add milk, mixing as you go. When the batter is well mixed, with no lumps, add the melted butter.
Over medium head, in the same pan used to melt the butter, add a scoop of batter and turn quickly to make the crepes. When the batter looks dry, flip and cook on the other side. Only about 2-3 minutes total. Make crepes, one by one, and set aside.
Put filling on a cutting board and chop the filling mixture to small pieces. Add to a mixing bowl and add the chopped mozzarella, the ricotta and a handful of Parmesan. Stir together until well blended.
To make the Bechamel, melt butter in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add salt and slowly mix in flour. While stirring quickly, pour in milk little by little. When sauce is to the thickness you prefer, and smooth, remove from heat.
Add a large scoop of Bechamel to filling mixture and stir. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each crepe and fold. In a baking pan, layer a spoonful of Bechamal, folded crepes, Bechamel, and a handful of Parmesan. Dot with butter to your liking.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned on top.