CRESPELLE - ASPARAGUS WITH BALSAMELLA SAUCE

By akselden

Recipe should be made in advance except for final reheating and browning.

Ingredients

• FILLING:
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 C. milk
• 2 T. grape seed oil
• 1 C. all-purpose flour
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 T. unsalted butter
• 1 T. diced onion
• 2 C. asparagus tips
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 2 T. mascarpone
• BALSAMELLA SAUCE:
• 1 qt. milk
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 6 T. unsalted butter
• 1/3 C. all-purpose flour
• Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (for garnish)

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

CRESPELLE:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil and flour until very smooth. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Ladle the mixture into a nonstick pan, just covering the entire bottom of the pan. Cook the pancake over low heat until you can flip it over without breaking it, about 1 minute. Flip, and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove the pancake from the pan, and cool. Repeat with the remaining batter. Reserve, keeping warm. Make 6 pancakes.

FILLING:
2. In a saute pan, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. When butter has melted, add the onion and asparagus tips, and cook until the tips become soft but are not browned. Let the mixture cool, then coarsely chop. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the mascarpone. Reserve, keeping warm.

BALSAMELLA SAUCE:
3. In a saucepan, heat the milk until hot, but don't let it come to a boil. Remove from heat, and add nutmeg to taste. In a clean saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then slowly add the flour, whisking to smooth out lumps. When the raw-flour aroma dissipates, add the hot milk, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.

TO ASSEMBLE THE DISH:
4. Heat oven to 450° F. The crespelle can be formed into two shapes: pinwheel or a simpler triangle. (If you're making the pinwheel shape, use a rectangular crepe pan to prepare the pancakes. Alternatively, you can layout two pancakes and trim the rounded parts to make a rectangle.)

5. To assemble the pinwheel shape, lay the crespelle flat on plastic wrap. Spread the filling, about 1/4 of an inch thick, over each crespelle, leaving a margin of about 1 1/2 inches along the long sides. Roll into a log, using the plastic wrap as support (but don't roll the plastic into the log). Repeat with the remaining filling and pancakes, and set aside until serving time. To serve the pinwheels, cut slices crosswise into 1/2 inch-thick pieces.

6. To assemble the triangle version, lay the crespelle out flat and cover half of each circle with filling. Fold the crespelle over the filling to create a half-moon shape, then fold it over one more time to create a triangle.

7. Pour a layer of balsamella sauce on the bottom of 6 individual gratin dishes (or a single pan large enough to hold them). Arrange the stuffed crespelle over the sauce, then spread more sauce on top. Heat in oven until the sauce bubbles and browns. Sprinkle with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.