Gregg's crepes with spinach and parma ham
Following the arrival of baby Sid, Gregg and Anna join us in the kitchen. They'll be making one of Gregg's favourite dishes - the first dish Anna made for him when they moved in together! Plus, they’ll be sharing how life is with their new arrival.
Crepes with spinach and parma ham
Taken from Gregg and Anna Wallace Italian Family Cookbook
Serves: 6
Ingredients
For the crepes:
125g plain flour
2 eggs
125ml milk
125ml water
¼ tsp salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Sunflower oil for frying
For the bechamel sauce:
60g butter
60g plain flour
600ml milk
1 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Filling:
250g fresh spinach leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
250g ricotta cheese
140g mascarpone cheese
160g Parma ham, roughly chopped
200g Parmesan, grated
Method
Put the flour into a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and whisk together. Now add the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter and mix again until smooth. Transfer to the batter jug and set aside.
Put the drizzle of oil into a frying pan over a medium-high heat. When hot, tilt the pan to spread the oil around, then pour in a little batter. Gently tilt the pan again so that the batter coats the surface thinly and evenly. You will need to make 6 pancakes in approximately an 8inch frying pan, so don’t be over generous.
Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the underside is nice and golden brown in colour. Loosen with a spatula, flip it over and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Place on a plate and keep warm. Cook the rest of the crepes in the same way, placing greaseproof paper between them to prevent them from sticking.
To make the bechamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium-low heat, then stir in the flour. Whisk in the milk a bit at a time, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and you have a smooth sauce. Stir in the nutmeg, then remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Cover the surface directly with cling film to prevent a skin forming and set aside.
To make the filling place the spinach and splash of water into a saucepan over a medium heat and cook for a few minutes stirring from time to time. When the spinach has wilted drain very well, then squeeze dry in kitchen paper on a clean cloth to remove any remaining water - you don’t want soggy pancakes.
Put the olive oil into a clean saucepan over a medium heat, when hot add the onion and fry for a few minutes, until soft
Place the ricotta and mascarpone in a large bowl and add the cooked onion, the Parma ham and 150g of the Parmesan cheese and season with some salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 200c, 180c fan, gas mark 6. Butter and ovenproof baking dish, 25cm x 20cm (10 ½ x 8 inches).
Place one crepe in front of you and spread 2 heaped tablespoons of filling in the middle. Roll it up and place in the prepared dish, seam side down. Repeat this step until you have filled and rolled all of your crepes.
Pour the bechamel sauce all over the crepes, then sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top.