Serves6
- Active time:1 hr
- Start to finish:1 1/2 hr
April 2009
Seeking a sophisticated vegetarian main course that can mostly be made ahead? Look no further. Here, tender, whisper-thin crêpes, made with matzo meal (left over from Catalan-Style Fresh Sardine Escabeche) instead of flour, are folded around a creamy filling of mushrooms, onion, and chives. Baked until golden and bubbling, this dish is rich and satisfying, and a big green salad is all you need to complete the meal. If you prefer to make these crêpes with regular flour, note that you can’t make a one-to-one substitution for the matzo meal. Instead, use your own favorite crêpe recipe or check out Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Torta) for a more traditional recipe (which would have to be doubled).
For Crêpes
-
3/4
cup
matzo meal or matzo cake meal
-
1 3/4
cups
water
-
3
large eggs
-
4
large egg whites
-
1/2
teaspoon
salt
-
6
tablespoons
melted butter, divided
For Mushroom Filling
-
1
medium onion, finely chopped
-
3
tablespoons
unsalted butter
-
2
garlic cloves, finely chopped
-
1 1/2
lb
mixed fresh mushrooms, sliced
-
3/4
cup
heavy cream
-
1/2
cup
milk
-
2
tablespoons
chopped chives
-
1/2
cup
grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
Make crêpe batter:
-
If using matzo meal (not cake meal), finely grind in grinder. Whisk together ground matzo meal or matzo cake meal, water, eggs, egg whites, salt, and 1/4 cup melted butter until smooth. Let batter rest at room temperature 30 minutes.
Make filling:
-
Cook onion in butter with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in cream and milk and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chives and 1/4 cup cheese. Cool while making crêpes.
Make crêpes:
-
Lightly brush a 9- to 10-inch nonstick skillet with some of remaining melted butter and heat over medium heat just until butter sizzles. Pour 1/4 cup batter into pan, tilting to evenly coat bottom, and cook until underside is lightly browned, 45 to 60 seconds. Flip with a rubber spatula and cook 30 seconds more. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining batter, stacking crêpes as cooked.
-
Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
-
Spread each crêpe with about 1/4 cup mushroom filling and fold in quarters to form a triangle. Arrange crêpes, overlapping slightly, in a 3-qt shallow baking dish. Scatter any leftover mushroom filling over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake until crêpes are golden and edges are crisp, about 25 minutes.
Cooks’ note: Crêpes and filling can be made 2 days ahead and chilled separately.
