Sara's Eggplant and Four-Cheese Cannelloni

Cannelloni is usually made with pasta, but it can also be made with
thin pancakes called "crespelle," the Italian version of crêpes. They're not only easy to make (particularly with the right pan), but they're also so versatile you can use them as a wrapper for anything, sweet or savory. Our special thanks to Sara Moulton for this recipe. Catch her show, "Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals," on PBS. A video illustrating how to make this recipe is available on our YouTube channel.
Crespelle
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 1 medium eggplant peeled and cut crosswise, about 1/3" thick
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 1/2 cup coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup coarsely Italian fontina cheese
- 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 cups homemade tomato sauce or your favorite store-bought tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup shredded fresh basil, for garnish
Directions
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1) Make the crespelle: Blend together the eggs, water, flour, and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. |
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2) Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. |
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4) Lightly brush a 7 3/4" crêpe pan with melted butter and heat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. |
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5) Ladle about 1/4 cup batter into the pan, tilting and rotating it to coat the bottom. |
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6) Cook until the bottom of the crespella is barely golden, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. |
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7) Flip and cook until the bottom is set, about 30 seconds. |
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9) Make the filling: Preheat the oven to 375°F. |
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10) Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. |
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11) Arrange in one layer on a large sheet pan lined with parchment. |
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13) Remove from the oven, gently loosen from the pan, and let cool. |
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15) Top each of the crespella with 2 to 3 eggplant slices (or 1/6 of the eggplant). |
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Recipe summary
- Hands-on time:
- 25 mins.
- Baking time:
- 30 mins.
- Total time:
- 1 hrs 25 mins.
- Yield:
- 6 appetizer servings

- Recipe comments (4) »
Tips from our bakers
- If you watch the video for this recipe, you might notice that it doesn't mirror the recipe exactly. For instance, the video doesn't call for extra Parmesan to be sprinkled on top of the sauce before baking. Any differences are minor; please don't stress over them. You'll be fine using either the recipe or the video as a reference.
Reviews
09/22/2008
An excellent dish! I had to make it twice because the family just demanded it. The crespelle were a new and welcome preparation. The roasted eggplant would make a believer out of the most veggie averse eater.
09/04/2008
Easy and delicious!
08/21/2008
Easy to make and very, very good. The eggplant was delicious!
08/15/2008
SIMPLE, DELICIOUS AND GOOD TASTE.

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