This was a very special meal we enjoyed last night. Crespelle are the Italian equivalent of French crepes. It may seem like a lot of trouble, but it is well worth it.

Fresh Spinach and Vegan Ricotta Crespelle

Yield: 8 generous crespelle

Ingredients:

for the crespelle:

  • 1 cup soy milk
  • 1&1//3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup vegan margarine, melted
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons egg replacement powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

for the filling:

  • 5-6 cups fresh spinach, washed, trimmed and chopped
  • 2 shallots, chopped
  • 3/4 cup soy yogurt
  • 3 teaspoons vegetable bouillon powder
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 teaspoons mustard

for the sauce:

  • 1 cup soy yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons mustard
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (more if desired)
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable bouillon powder
  • splash white wine for thinning
  • baking oil to spray on the crepe pan

Fresh Spinach and Vegan Ricotta Crespelle

Directions:

for the filling:

  1. Clean and trim the spinach and chop or julienne into strips.
  2. I steamed the spinach as that way it retains more of the nutrients and takes less time and electricity.
  3. When the spinach is wilted, squeeze off the water and place in a bowl.
  4. In a second bowl, prepare the filling mixture.
  5. When the spinach has cooled a bit, add to the mixture and stir to mix well.

for the crespelle:

  1. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

for the sauce:

  1. In a separate bowl, mix the sauce ingredients.
  2. Season to taste with additional nutritional yeast salt and or white pepper.

Vegan white wine with dinner

to make the crespelle:

  1. Heat a crepe pan or medium frying pan.
  2. Spray with oil.
  3. Pour a thin layer of batter over the bottom and allow to cook.
  4. When the top is dry, flip to brown the other side.
  5. When it has browned, turn out onto a plate and continue making crespelle.
  6. While a crespelle is cooking, you can fill the previous one and roll it up.
  7. Place a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom of an oven proof baking dish and lay the finished crespelle in the bottom.
  8. Check on the crespelle that is cooking – flip it over.
  9. Preheat the oven to a low temperature just to keep the crespelle warm.
  10. Continue making and filling crespelle. Top the completed crespelle with sauce and place in the oven to warm.
  11. Serve warmed and garnished with a few chives.

Notes:

The recipe can be halved for 2 people, making 4-5 generous crespelle.