MOTHER'S DAY CREPES (UPDATED)

Happy Mothers Day to all you moms, step-moms, grandmoms, foster moms, and moms-to-be!

Blog post updated May 10, 2019

I should make stuffed crepes more often. I always forget how easy they are to make, and you can make them ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze them. They can be filled with almost anything sweet or savory (today I'm concentrating on the savory). They are perfect for company brunches, lunches and dinners, or for dessert (I'll leave that for another time).

Below are my two vegan crepe recipes, followed by the recipe for the dish you see above (my Mom's favorite)-- crepes stuffed with roasted asparagus and sauteed mushrooms, coated in a creamy vegan Bechame/Beciamella sauce. And, there are more filling ideas below, too.

ITALIAN CREPES (CRESPELLE) AND WAYS TO SERVE THEM
By Bryanna Clark Grogan May 10, 2019

(Recipes and text from the book “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen”, by Bryanna Clark Grogan, Book Publishing Co., 1998; and the book “World Vegan Feast” by Bryanna Clark Grogan, Vegan Heritage Press, Woodstock, Virginia, 2011 and 2014; recipes updated May 10, 2019.)
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My Basic Crepe/Crespelle Recipes:

Version #1
BRYANNA’S CRESPELLE VEGAN (ITALIAN-STYLE VEGAN CREPES) (CAN BE SOY-FREE) Makes 12
(From the book “Nonna’s Italian Kitchen”, by Bryanna Clark Grogan, Book Publishing Co., 1998; recipes updated May 10, 2019)

Crepes have been made in Italy for centuries, with many different types of flours. They are particularly popular in Northern Italy, notably in Tuscany. In Emilia Romagna and Piedmont, they are called cannelloni, or they are folded into triangles and called fazzoletti, after the folded black handkerchiefs that older farm women still wear on their heads.

In southern Italy they are often referred to as manicotti. Filled crepes that are cut into short lengths and baked are called bocconcini, which means "little mouthfuls". Crespelle "cakes", or timbali, are crepes stacked with filling in between and cut into wedges. Many delicious vegetables stuffings are popular (you can use a filling as simple as just steamed, chopped in-season vegetables held together with thick besciamella sauce, recipe below), particularly the spinach and ricotta filling from Florence (recipe  below).

Crespelle can be made ahead (even frozen), and they make an elegant dinner dish for company or special occasions, such as Easter dinner. These vegan crespelle are nice and tender, thin but not fragile, roll well, and have a delicate flavor.

1 T. powdered egg replacer

1/4 c. water

1 c. unbleached white flour or whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 c. plus 1 T. water

1/2 c. soy (my 1^st choice) or other creamy non-dairy milk (hemp milk, cashew milk or oat milk would be the best choices if you don’t use soy)

1/4 c. chickpea flour, white bean flour, or full-fat soy flour

2 T. nutritional yeast flakes

2 tsp. unbleached sugar

1/2 tsp. EACH baking powder and salt

OPTIONAL: a pinch EACH of white pepper and freshly-ground nutmeg

Mix the water and ¼ cup egg replacer in a blender until frothy. Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and beat for one minute. The batter should be like heavy cream. (This can be made ahead, but the batter does not require resting for 30 minutes, as many crepe batters do.)

Crespelle are made like ordinary crepes. Heat a well-seasoned 8" cast iron, stainless steel (with heavy bottom) or carbon steel skillet over medium-high heat and wipe it lightly with oil before making each crepe.

Use 3 T. of batter per crepe (stirring the batter before you make each crepe), rolling and tilting the pan until it evenly covers the bottom. Cook for a few seconds, or until the top looks dry. Carefully loosen the crepe with a spatula and flip it over. After a few seconds the other side should be dry. Fold into quarters or roll like a jelly roll and place on a plate (or leave them flat if you are going to stack them with filling). If you are going to use the crepes shortly, cover them with a clean tea towel.

NOTE: You can either fill the crepes and serve according to the specific recipe directions, or let them cool and place in a plastic bag or rigid container (with pieces of parchment paper in between each crepe) and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze them for future use (thaw thoroughly before filling).

Version #2
EASY VEGAN CREPES

Makes 16

(From the book “World Vegan Feast” by Bryanna Clark Grogan, Vegan Heritage Press, Woodstock, Virginia, 2011 and 2014, recipes updated May 10, 2019.)

These vegan crepes have that flexible "egg-y" texture of traditional crepes, which makes them easy to handle. You can make them ahead and refrigerate them for several days or freeze them for several weeks.

2 1/4 cup creamy non-dairy milk (soy is my choice; hemp milk, cashew milk or oat milk would be the best choices if you don’t use soy)

1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour OR whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup (6 ounces) medium-firm tofu or extra-firm silken tofu, drained and crumbled

1/3 cup chickpea flour (besan), or full-fat soy flour, or white bean flour

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 large pinch turmeric

Process all ingredients in a blender until very smooth. You do not need to "rest" the batter before cooking, as you do with egg crepe batter.

Heat an 8-inch well-seasoned cast iron, stainless steel (with heavy bottom) or carbon steel skillet over medium-high heat and wipe it lightly with oil before making each crepe. Use 3 tablespoons of batter per crepe (stirring the batter before you make each crepe), rolling and tilting the pan until it evenly covers the bottom. Cook for a few seconds or until the top looks dry. Carefully loosen the crepe with a thin non-metal spatula-turner and flip it over. After a few seconds the other side should be dry. Serve immediately with your favorite topping or filling.

For filling later, fold each crepe, as it comes from the pan, into quarters or roll like a jelly roll or leave them flat (depending upon how you are going to fill and/or roll or stack them) and transfer them to a large platter or baking sheet. Cover them with a clean kitchen towel.

To store for future use, transfer the cooled crepes to a zipper-lock bag or rigid container (with cut-to-fit pieces of baking parchment in between each crepe) and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze them for use in up to three weeks. Frozen crepes should be thawed thoroughly before filling.

WAYS TO SERVE ITALIAN CREPES (CRESPELLE);

This is the recipe my mother loved best ❤️❤️ (Photo at top of post.):

CREAMY ROASTED ASPARAGUS CRESPELLE (ITALIAN CREPES) WITH VEGAN BESCIAMELLA (BECHAMEL) SAUCE

Serves 5 to 6
(From the book “World Vegan Feast” by Bryanna Clark Grogan, Vegan Heritage Press, Woodstock, Virginia, 2011 and 2014, recipes updated May 10, 2019.)

Delicate vegan crepes rolled around sweet roasted asparagus spears and melty vegan cheese, bathed in a rich vegan béchamel sauce—comfort food, indeed! These delicious Italian-style vegan crepes make a very easy, but elegant brunch or supper dish. My late mother, Eve Tonge Urbina, always loved them for a Mother’s Day brunch.

This is a great make-ahead dish for company. You can make the crepes and the sauce, a day or two ahead of time, if you wish and quickly cook the asparagus just before rolling the crepes. You can then assemble the crepes well before the meal and then they can just be popped into the oven for 10 to 20 minutes before serving.

Tip: Other vegetables can be used, but I think asparagus is most elegant and needs little seasoning. If you like, you can spread a few sautéed fresh mushrooms over the asparagus.

15 to 16 Easy Vegan Crepes, cooked (recipe above)

2 pounds of fresh asparagus (medium-sized stalks, not thin ones), washed and woody stalks removed

Tip: Bend each stalk and the asparagus will naturally snap at the point where it becomes tough.

2 tablespoons olive oil

coarse sea salt or kosher salt

2 cups shredded melty vegan white cheese (There are many brands, such as Daiya, Sheese, Lisanatti, Go Veggie, Tofutti, Vegan Gourmet, So Delicious, Pamela Creamery, and Ocado Free From.)

salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

1 recipe Vegan Besciamella (Béchamel or White Sauce) (Recipe below)

To roast the asparagus, preheat oven to 425°F. Toss the asparagus spears gently with the olive oil, using your hands so that they are evenly coated. Distribute the asparagus spears in one layer in a 12 x 17-inch baking sheet or in two 9 x 13 baking sheets. Sprinkle the asparagus lightly with the salt of your choice. Roast the asparagus for about 15 minutes or until tender-crisp and starting to brown a little. Remove from the oven.

Leave the oven temperature at 425°F.

To assemble the crepes, divide the roasted asparagus evenly to fill 15 crepes. Place one portion of asparagus almost in the middle of each crepe and sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons of the vegan cheese. Roll the crepe up neatly but not tightly around the asparagus. Carefully transfer the filled crepes to an 8 x 12-inch baking pan, oiled or lined with baking parchment, in one layer, seam-side-down in. Use an attractive ceramic or glass 8 x 12-inch baking dish if you plan to serve the dish at the table.

Pour the Béchamel Sauce over the crepes, covering evenly.

Bake for 10 minutes (15 to 20 minutes if the filled crepes have been refrigerated), uncovered. The sauce should be bubbly and starting to turn a little golden on top. Serve immediately. Tip: You need a knife and fork to eat these crepes, as the asparagus is not cut into pieces.

CRESPELLE RIPIENE (STUFFED CREPES) AND VARIOUS SAVORY FILLINGS
Serves 6
FRom the book “World Vegan Feast” by Bryanna Clark Grogan, Vegan Heritage Press, Woodstock, Virginia, 2011 and 2014; recipes updated May 10, 2019.
This recipe (and lots of photos) can also be found at this link.

Serve crespelle with a light tomato sauce or Vegan Bechamel Sauce/ Besciamella (see recipe below ). You can also layer Besciamella over the tomato sauce, along with some vegan parmesan (See Note below for brands and a recipe), for a really special dish.

The following is a basic cheese-y spinach filling, but there are other filling ideas below. (See photo above of finished dish.

1 recipe (12) Crespelle Vegan (Italian-Style Vegan Crepes, recipe above)

2 cups light tomato sauce or Marinara sauce

Spinach and "Cheese" Filling:

2 medium onions, minced

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

2 lbs. fresh cleaned spinach (or other greens), OR 2 10 oz. pckgs. chopped frozen spinach (or other greens)

1 1/2 c. Tofu Ricotta OR Almond Ricotta (See recipes at the bottom of this post)

4 to 6 T. vegan Parmesan (See Note below for brands and a recipe)

salt, freshly ground pepper and nutmeg to taste

Saute the onions in the olive oil in a non-stick skillet until they are soft and starting to brown (adding a tiny bit of water as needed-- I use a squirt bottle-- to keep from sticking).

Meanwhile, place the fresh spinach in boiling water until it is completely wilted, then drain, squeeze dry and chop it. OR, if using frozen spinach, thaw it thoroughly (you can quick-thaw it by placing the whole carton in the microwave for 5 minutes) and squeeze it as dry as possible.

Mix the spinach in a bowl with the cooked onions, ricotta, soy Parmesan, and salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. (It should be strongly seasoned.)

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a generous amount of filling down the center of each crepe and roll it up. Place the rolls in an oiled baking dish. (You can prepare the crepes up to this point several hours ahead of time.) Pour a little of the sauce you are using over the crepes, sprinkle with soy Parmesan or alternate, and bake 20 minutes. Serve with more sauce on the side.

(To make fazzoletti, spread 2 or 3 T. filling over one half of the crepe, fold over the other half, then fold the whole thing in half to make a triangle. Stand the fazzoletti up in the oiled baking pan or casserole with their points sticking upwards. Dab a little vegan butter on the point of each fazzoletti. Bake about 20 minutes and serve the sauce on the side.)

FILLING VARIATIONS:

"Cheese" Filling:

2 1/2 c. Tofu Ricotta or Almond Ricotta (See recipes at the bottom of this post), and vegan Parmesan to taste (See Note below for brands of vegan parmesan) 

1/2 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley OR 1/4 c. EACH chopped fresh Italian parsley and basil

salt and freshly-ground pepper and nutmeg to taste

Mix all of the ingredients together well. Serve topped with a light tomato sauce or Besciamella sauce (see recipe below), and vegan parmesan (See Note below for brands of vegan parmesan and a recipe; and ricotta recipes).

"Meat" and Spinach Filling:

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

2 c. chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. fresh spinach, steamed, drained, squeezed dry and chopped OR a 10 oz. pckg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
“Meat” choices (choose one):

#1) 12-16 oz. commercial "hamburger crumbles" of your choice,
#2) 3 c. ground seitan
#3) 3 c. frozen tofu, thawed, crumbled and squeezed, and mixed with 1/3 c. light soy sauce,
#4) 2 1/4 c. dry textured soy protein granules soaked in 1 7/8 c. boiling water with 1/3 c. light soy sauce

Additional:

1 T. dried oregano (or 3 T. chopped fresh)

freshly-ground black pepper to taste

To make the Filling, heat the olive oil in a large well-seasoned cast iron, stainless steel (with heavy bottom), or carbon steel skillet skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and sauté a few minutes longer. Add the squeezed spinach and stir-fry for a few minutes. Add the hamburger substitute of your choice with the oregano and cook until the mixture is fairly dry. Set aside to cool.

Serve with a light tomato or Marinara sauce and vegan parmesan (see Note below for vegan brands and a recipe). You can also drizzle some Besciamella sauce(recipe below ) over the tomato sauce, if you wish.

The following fillings should be used with a Besciamella sauce (recipe below) rather than a tomato sauce, and topped with vegan parmesan (see Note below for vegan brands and a recipe).

Mushroom Filling: (NOTE: You can use fresh shiitakes, oyster mushrooms, chanterelles, or portobellos, if you like.)

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil or vegan butter

1 medium onion, minced

1 lb. mushrooms (preferably criminis), chopped

1/2 c. dry white wine

1/4 c. Besciamella sauce (see recipe below)

OPTIONAL:

1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1/4 c. vegan parmesan (see Note below for vegan brands and a recipe)

salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil or vegan butter in a large well-seasoned cast iron, stainless steel (with heavy bottom), or carbon steel skillet skillet skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium-high heat until the onion softens and begins to brown a bit. Turn the heat to high, add the wine and let it evaporate. Add the mushrooms (and optional rosemary) and cook, watching closely, until they have extruded their liquid and it almost evaporates. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add the Besciamella sauce (and optional vegan parmesan, if using).

Porcini Filling Variation:

Make the Mushroom Filling above, but add about 1/2 an ounce of dried porcini or boletus mushrooms which have soaked in 1/2 c. of hot water for 45 minutes. Strain the broth and use it instead of the wine in the Mushroom Filling. Chop the porcinis and add them to the filling.

Asparagus and Mushroom Filling (one of our favorites):

Use either the Mushroom or the Porcini Filling and add 1 c. of cooked fresh asparagus cut into 1/2" pieces.

Bocconcini:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Make the "Cheese" Filling (see recipe above), but omit the parsley or parsley and basil. With a very sharp knife, cut the ends off of each rolled crepe, then cut each crepe into 3 pieces. Rub a large baking dish with vegan butter and arrange the bocconcini close together, standing up (with the filling showing) in it. Bake 20 minutes and serve hot.

BRYANNA’S DAIRY-FREE BESCIAMELLA (BECHAMEL OR WHITE SAUCE)      

Makes 2 cups

(can be wheat-free and soy-free)  (From my book “World Vegan Feast” by Bryanna Clark Grogan, Vegan Heritage Press, Woodstock, Virginia, 2011 and 2014; recipes updated May 10, 2019.

This rich-tasting sauce is actually quite low in fat.  It can be used as an all-purpose white sauce in all of your cooking, and as a topping for Greek dishes, such as vegetarian moussaka, and even as a substitute for melted cheese in many casseroles.  In Italy, this type of sauce is used on lasagne rather than the heavy melted cheeses in American-style lasagne.

           

I think this formula is a great improvement upon vegan white sauces made completely with soymilk, which I find too sweet.  The tofu (or cashews) and broth cube add richness without much fat.

2 T. dairy-free margarine or extra-virgin olive oil

1 and 1/2 to 3 T. unbleached flour (depending on thickness desired)

Blended Mixture:

1 c. soymilk or other plant-based milk

1/2 c. extra-firm SILKEN tofu OR regular medium-firm tofu, crumbled

1/2 c. water

1 "chicken-style" vegetarian broth cube (or enough for 1 c. of liquid), crumbled

1/2 tsp. salt

a large pinch EACH of freshly-grated nutmeg and white pepper

           

Place all of the Blended Mixture ingredients, EXCEPT the nutmeg and pepper, in the blender and blend until VERY smooth.  Set aside.

Melt the margarine in a medium, heavy saucepan and whisk in the flour.  Whisk it over medium-high heat for a few minutes, but remove from heat before it starts to change color (you want a white "roux").  Scrape this into the Blended Mixture and blend for a few seconds, then pour the mixture back into the pot.  Stir over medium-high heat until it thickens and boils; turn down and simmer on low for a few minutes.  Whisk in the nutmeg and pepper.

           

MICROWAVE OPTION: Melt the margarine in a large microwave-safe bowl or 1 qt. Pyrex measuring beaker on HiGH for 45 seconds.  Whisk in the flour and microwave on HIGH 2 minutes.  Scrape this into the Blended Mixture and blend briefly, then pour it back into the bowl or beaker, or pour in the Blended mixture and mix with a hand immersion blender until smooth.  Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes.  Whisk.  Microwave for 2 more minutes.  Whisk. Microwave for 2 minutes more. Whisk in the nutmeg and pepper.

To make this sauce very low-fat, leave out the margarine and simply you can just blend the flour in with the sauce ingredients, then cook as directed.  You can use reduced fat tofu and soymilk, too, if you like.

ALLERGY NOTES:

To make this sauce soy-free, omit the tofu; use 1/4 c. more rice or almond milk (1 and 1/4 in total) and use 1/4 c. raw cashews instead of the tofu.  Since the cashews have a thickening effect, use less flour. Use only 2 tsp. soy-free and dairy-free margarine, or use olive oil.

To make this sauce wheat-free, add the melted margarine or olive oil directly to the blended mixture, along with 1 to 4 T. white rice flour (or mochiko flour, also known as sweet/glutinous rice flour) in stead of the wheat flour (so you omit the first cooking step).  4 T. makes a very thick sauce.

NOTE: Sauces made with mochiko flour (sweet/glutinous white rice flour--  see above) are excellent for freezing (for instance, if you freeze a prepared but not baked lasagne), because the sauce will not separate when thawed.

NOTE: VEGAN PARMESAN, COMMERCIAL AND A RECIPE

Follow Your Heart (called Earth Island in Canada) Dairy-Free Parmesan (Shredded)

Follow Your Heart (called Earth Island in Canada) Dairy-Free Parmesan (Grated)

GO VEGGIE Vegan Parmesan Grated Topping

GO VEGGIE Vegan Soy Free Parmesan Grated Topping

Parma! Vegan Parmesan

Violife Just Like Parmesan Wedge
OR make your own (this is not my recipe): 

https://www.veggiesdontbite.com/grateable-vegan-parmesan-cheese/

Enjoy!