Crespelle alla Fiorintina

Ingredients

For the Crespelle batter:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk

For the filling:

• 1 pound fresh spinach, washed, stems removed, and steamed
• 1/2 pound ricotta
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

For the bechamel:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

To Finish:

• About 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 1 cup prepared tomato sauce

Directions

For the crepes: In a bowl whisk together all the ingredients to form a smooth, thin batter. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before proceeding.

Heat a small skillet or crepe pan and when hot, brush lightly with butter. Ladle about 1/4 cup of crepe batter into the pan, tilting the skillet to evenly coat the pan. Cook until golden brown on the bottom and the top begins to look dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully turn the crepe and cook the second side until the bottom colors slightly, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter to yield 8 crepes

For the filling: Squeeze the spinach to extract any remaining moisture, then coarsely chop to yield about 1 cup. In a bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and stir to thoroughly combine. Set aside. Assembly: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 11/2 quart casserole dish.

Divide the spinach filling evenly among the crepes (using about 1/3 cup filling for each). Roll the crepes up around the filling and place in the buttered dish. Set aside while preparing the sauce.

For the bechamel sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour until smooth and continue to cook for 3 minutes, being careful not to brown. Slowly whisk in the cold milk, and cook, stirring, until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking until the floury taste is gone, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

To finish: Pour the bechamel over the crepes, drizzle with butter, and bake for 20 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Serve hot, with a little tomato sauce spooned over the top of each serving.