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Zoe Francois' Manicotti Crepes

Manicotti Crepes

byZoë François
Total 2 hours and 25 minutes
Active 70 mins
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Special Equipment
a well-seasoned crepe pan
Special Equipment
a well-seasoned crepe pan
Ingredients
  • 1 cup grated fontina
  • 2 cups (16 ounces) ricotta
  • 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
  • 1 cup finely grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus whole leaves for garnish
  • 1 large egg
  • Red pepper flakes, to taste
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 12 Basic Crepes (recipe follows)
  • Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
    Basic Crepes:
    • 3 large eggs
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
    • 1 1/2 cups whole milk, plus more as needed
    • 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
      Directions
      1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
      2. In a large bowl, mix together the fontina, ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, egg, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.
      3. Add a layer of tomato sauce to the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish.
      4. Lay the crepes on a work surface. Add about 1/2 cup of the cheese filling to each crepe, roll up, and place in the baking dish seam-side down. Drizzle with the remaining tomato sauce and top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.
      5. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the mozzarella is lightly browned and the sauce is bubbly. Top with fresh parsley and basil, and serve.
      1. Basic Crepes:
        1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs until well blended. Add in the butter and milk to the eggs, and whisk to combine.
        2. Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt into the egg mixture until well combined. Don’t worry if there are a few small lumps. Let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes (or it can be made a day ahead). All the lumps will dissolve as it is sitting. Once the batter has sat, check it to make sure it is thin enough. It should resemble maple syrup. If not, add extra milk until it does.
        3. Heat a well-seasoned crepe pan over medium heat. Add a small pat of butter to the pan and then wipe it off, just leaving the butter residue.
        4. Ladle a small amount of batter into the pan, just enough to thinly coat the bottom when you swirl it around; the amount will depend on the size of your crepe pan. The batter should be thin and lacy around the edges.
        5. Allow to cook until the crepe is golden brown on the bottom and appears dry on top, about 1 to 2 minutes.
        6. Flip it over and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat with the rest of the batter, adding more butter each time.
        7. If not using immediately, stack crepes on a plate, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate up to 3 days.