Italian "crepes"

[chocchic]

We were on trip of lifetime to Italy and our guide took us to the DaCostantino Restaurant on Amalfi coast. We ate the most divine creation called 3 cheese crepes. I saw them in a long roll (about 1- 2 inches wide and 15 inches long. Cheese inside a roll of something that I assumed to be pasta dough? The log was then sliced into 1/2 inch slices, dabbed with a bit of butter and lightly sprinkled with parmesean cheese. The next time I saw them was sliced and served on a platter. Anyone else ever thad this wonderful dish? Do you think it was pasta dough? Would I need to bake it for a bit? There was no sauce so don't know how it would keep from drying out. Or maybe it really was crepe batter rather than pasta dough. they also serve pizza so I'm guessing it was just a very quick final visit to the extremely hot pizza oven that browned the parm cheese slighlty. But I'm thinking it must have cooked at least once before that when it was in the log form? Anyone ever tried anything like this?
Pam

[todao]

So many recipes overlap, it's sometimes difficult to separate one from another. The filled Crespelle, for example, might be labeled Cannelloni Crepes on some menu, Italian Crepes on another. But the idea remains essential the same. Suggest you search for those three (Italian Crepes, Crespelle, Cannelloni Crepes) and compare the recipes you find. Regardless of how you label it, they're a relatively simple and extraordinarily delicious meal.
Fill 'em with ricotta and crab (or shrimp) with an herb white sauce .... Yummmm
Take the idea paste the crepe to a thin dough shell, you have Calzone.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/It...

[lisaonthecape]

The menu on Da Constantino's website includes "crespolini al formaggio," so I'm assuming that's what you had. From your description, they sound like rolled crepes (crespelle in Italian; crespolini being the altered noun meaning "little crespelle"), sliced and finished in the oven.

[chocchic]

Thanks - they were so amazing. I did see them in various stages of preparation and at one point I saw a very long log which looked more like pasta than crepe but I think you/re probably right. thanks.

[escondido123]

I have not had that dish, but I make crespelle which is the Italian word for crepes. It's a batter about the consistency of heavy cream made with eggs, flour, milk and a bit of olive oil and salt. I had a Gorgonzola crespelle in Rome that was amazing, but it was just done like a French crepe.

[chocchic]

would you mind sharing your recipe for crespelle? I'm determined to try to recreate this incredible dish. The other funny thing is when I asked how they prepared it they told me mix of Fontina, mozarella and .... are you ready for this... Emmentaler cheese.

[escondido123]

2 eggs, 1 c. milk, 1/2 c flour, 1 tbs olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt. The secret is to make the batter in the blender and then let it rest for a good hour before using. For the filling, I generally just use Gorgonzola mashed with some ricotta and heavy cream, s&p. Once rolled and tucked into gratin dish I top with Parmigiano and a layer of heavy cream. Bake until browned. (Obviously this is a different dish than the one you are trying to replicate.)

[chocchic]

Actually I think I will use this recipe or maybe Mario's for the crepe batter. Then try to make the filling using three cheese. Roll the filling into a crepe and go from there. I love playing with food.

[EM23]

Ricotta AND Gorgonzola sounds really good! And heavy cream vs. Bechamel will "lighten" it up a bit too - hehe. Going to give this a whirl after my WW weigh-in this week.

[EM23]

Escondido is right. Google crespelle ricotta and recipe and you will get many hits. There is a Batali recipe for this dish on Food Network. And Hazan's crespelle recipe is posted on lots of blogs.
I have made them covered with a thin layer of bechamel and parmigiana as well and they are so good.