Stuffed Crepes

Crepes stuffed with artichokes and sausage 

With the basic recipe of our crepe you can make sweet or savory dishes. Among the latter very tasty first courses such as crepes with prosciutto, or crepes stuffed with artichokes and sausage that I propose today. A rich dish, embellished with a velvety béchamel sauce and provolone cubes, perfect for all occasions! The combination of sausage and artichokes always conquers us: two apparently strong flavors, but that go well together! Today I show you how to prepare this perfect first course for Sunday, also ideal to prepare in advance and to gratin only at the last minute, at lunch time. A fantastic idea, for a convivial moment to share with friends and family!

INGREDIENTS

FOR 10 CREPES

Eggs 3

Whole milk 500 g

Flour 250 g

Butter 40 g

FOR THE BÉCHAMEL SAUCE

Whole milk 500 g

Flour 50 g

Butter 50 g

Salt to taste

FOR THE FILLING

Artichokes (530 g already cleaned) 1,5 Kg

Sausage 450 g

Provolone cheese 70 g

White wine to taste

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

FOR AU GRATIN AND DECORATION

Parmigiano Reggiano to taste

Thyme to taste

PREPARATION

To prepare the crepes stuffed with artichokes and sausage first melt the butter in a saucepan and let it cool. Break the eggs in a bowl, stir with a whisk and add the milk. Continue stirring until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. Now add the warm butter and stir. Pour the flour in two times, sifting it directly into the bowl and stirring. You will have to obtain a smooth and lump-free mixture. At this point cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel sauce. In a saucepan heat the milk. Then pour the butter into another saucepan and let it melt over low heat. Pour the flour in one go. Mix with a whisk firmly, so as to avoid the formation of lumps. Cook the roux until golden brown, then slowly add the milk, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. At this point, also take care of cleaning the artichokes. After removing the stem and the outer leaves until you reach the most tender, clean up the base well and with a knife cut a good part of the tip. This way you will only get artichoke hearts. Divide them in half and eliminate the inner beard. Then cut them into wedges and place them in acidulated water so as not to blacken them. At this point the dough of the crepes will have rested, pass to cooking. Grease a 20 cm non-stick pan and heat it well. Once at temperature, pour a ladle of dough sufficient to cover the surface of the pan. After about 1 minute over medium-low heat, you should notice a slight browning, the edges will tend to come off so you can turn the first crack with the help of a scoop. Cook the other side for about 1 minute, waiting for it to take color. Once the first one is cooked, transfer it to a serving plate or on a cutting board. Repeat this operation until the dough is finished, greasing the pan from time to time. Meanwhile, remove the casing from the sausage, cutting it with a small knife and shell it by hand. Brown the sausage in a pan with a little oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the well-drained artichokes and brown again for a couple of miuti. At this point blend with white wine and let it evaporate completely. Add salt, pepper and cook for about 10 minutes over medium-low heat; Meanwhile, cut the provola into cubes. Now it's time to compose the crepes. Take a roll on a cutting board and add a tablespoon of béchamel sauce. Spread it well over the entire surface and add the cubes of provolone. Now place the artichoke and sausage dressing on a quarter of the crepe, fold the crack in half and then again in the middle so as to form a triangle. Gradually place the crepes in a baking dish, then add grated Parmesan. Cook at 200 °C in grill mode for about 5 minutes, or until the crepes are well gratinated. Remove from the oven, add fresh thyme and serve immediately.

PRESERVATION

You can store the stuffed crepes for 1-2 days in the refrigerator. Just heat them before serving.

ADVICE

When pouring the dough of crepes into the pan you have to be very fast in the act of rolling out the mixture, because otherwise once it starts cooking you may have difficulties. The béchamel sauce, especially if put in the refrigerator, could thicken and become sticky, in which case it will be enough to mix vigorously with a whisk. For an even stronger taste, instead of sweet provolone you can use a spicy provolone or a smoked scamorza cheese.