Party Crepe Stack with Pesto Fillings
From the cookbook “Crepes” by Lou Seibert Pappas
Sun-dried tomato and pesto cheeses alternate as fillings for stacked crepes. When cut into wedges, they make handsome appetizers. For a shortcut version, purchase sun-dried tomato and basil pestos from a gourmet shop. Serve the wedges on small appetizer plates for a neat presentation.
Six 6- or 7-inch savory crepes
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup water
1 cup gluten-free flour mix without zanthan gum
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus 2 or 3 teaspoons butter for coating the pan
In a blender or food processor, blend the eggs, milk, water, flour, salt, and the 2 tablespoons melted butter for 5 seconds, or until smooth. Stir down and repeat if necessary. OR, to mix by hand, sift the flour into a medium bowl and add the salt. Whisk the eggs until blended, mix in the milk and water, and whisk this mixture into the flour and salt; stir in the 2 tablespoons melted butter. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (though 2 hours is preferable) or up to 24 hours.
Gently stir the batter if it has separated. Heat a seasoned 6- or 7-inch nonstick crepe pan over medium-high heat until hot. (Use a 9- or 10-inch pan for larger crepes.) Coat the pan lightly with butter, lift the pan from the heat, and pour in 2 or 3 tablespoons of batter for a 6- or 7-inch pan, or about ¼ cup for a 9- or 10-inch pan, tilting and rotating the pan to coat the surface. Cook until almost dry on top and lightly browned on the edges, about 1 minute. Loosen the edges with a spatula and flip the crepe over using your fingers or the spatula, then cook the other side for about 15 seconds, or until lightly browned. Turn the crepe out onto a clean tea towel to cool. Repeat with the remaining batter, wiping the pan with butter as needed and stacking the crepes as they are cooked.
For serving immediately, cover the crepes with aluminum foil and keep them warm in a preheated 200-degree-F oven. For serving later, wrap them in plastic wrap in quantities intended for each use and slip them in a self-sealing plastic bag. Refrigerate crepes for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months.
Sun-dried Tomato Filling:
¾ cup (6 ounces fresh white goat, ricotta, or Mascarpone cheese at room temperature
2 Tablespoons milk
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Basil Pesto Filling
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup (3 ounces) ricotta cheese
1/3 cup (3 ounces light cream cheese at room temperature
6 oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, diced, for garnish
Prepare the crepes.
To make the sun-dried tomato filling: In a bowl, mix the cheese and milk together until blended. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, basil, garlic, and pine nuts.
To make the basil pesto filling: In a blender or food processor, whirl the basil, pine nuts, and garlic until minced. Blend in the oil, add the Parmesan, ricotta, and cream cheeses, and process until blended.
Lay out 1 crepe and spread with one-third of the sun-dried tomato filling; cover with another crepe and spread with one-third of the basil pesto filling. Repeat, alternating the fillings and layering the crepes. Decorate the top with the diced tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cut into wedges and serve on small plates.
Makes 12 appetizer wedges.
