Family arms race

FaceTime does not generally capture you from a very photogenic angle. While FaceTiming with Dylan last night, Mom made things worse by purposely making a goofy face during a lull in the conversation. Dylan seized the opportunity to snap this screen shot:

Dylan was so pleased with his efforts that he then texted the image to everyone in the family so we'd all have a record for posterity. The photo reminded Cassie of the caterpillar from Antz, which she then texted to everyone. Eventually, we all searched for unflattering images of everyone else involved in the conversation, like our own familial version of nuclear deterrence.

Hands-on cooking lessons continue with Brad and Cass. Today we dug up a long-time favorite, multi-use recipe that uses homemade crepes as manicotti “shells” that we then fill with a cheesy mixture and cover with marinara sauce and bake. Everyone loves using the crepes like this, but you can also use the same recipe to make sweet or savory crepes and fill them with whatever you like. In fact, we had some crepes left over from making the manicotti, and some fresh peaches that Mom got from Carter Mountain yesterday, so we had some dessert crepes, too, filled with caramelized peaches. So in one meal, Brad and Cassie got to make crepes, marinara sauce, filled and baked manicotti, and filled dessert crepes.

This makes for a pretty impressive dinner, but other than the time it takes to make the crepes one by one, it's actually quite simple. And you can make the crepes earlier in the day or even a day or two before, which really makes it a snap to pull together.

Cassie on the swirling phase

 

 

 

 

 

Brad on the flipping phase

Manicotti with Homemade Crepe “Shells”

Adapted from Jennifer Perillo via In Jennie's Kitchen and Food52, and J. Kenji López-Alt via Serious Eats 

For the crepes
2 large eggs
1¼ cups (300 grams) whole milk (or 230 grams 1% milk + 70 grams half-and-half)
140 grams (~1 cup) all-purpose, spelt, buckwheat or teff flour
1 tablespoon (14 grams) melted unsalted butter or neutral-flavored oil such as sunflower or canola, plus more for cooking
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon (8 grams) sugar, for sweet crepes only (don’t use for manicotti)
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs, for savory crepes (optional)

For the filling
1 large egg
16 ounces ricotta cheese, homemade if you're really ambitious
¼ cup (15 grams) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To assemble
2 cups store-bought or homemade marinara sauce (see recipe below)
¼ cup (15 grams) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

    1. For the crepes: Place the eggs, milk, flour, melted butter or oil, salt, and sugar (if using for sweet crepes) in a blender. Start the blender on low speed and increase to high. Blend until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add the herbs (if using) and pulse to combine. Or you can combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk vigorously until smooth.
    2a. To make manicotti “shells”: Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet with a drop of oil in it over medium heat for 2 minutes. Wipe the skillet sparingly with oil or butter. Pour 2½ tablespoons (a little over 1 ounce; use a ¼ cup measure just over half full) of the batter into the center of the pan, swirling and tilting the pan immediately to spread the batter in a thin, even layer over the bottom of the pan (see photo of Cassie above). Cook until set and mottled brown on the bottom, about 30–45 seconds (it takes longer if the crepes are thicker). Flip the crepe quickly with your fingertips and/or a spatula (see the photo of Brad above), and cook until spotty brown on the other side, about 15–30 seconds longer. Place the cooked crepe on a plate and repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the crepes as you go. (The first one or two might end up being sacrificial until the pan is heated properly and you get the hang of swirling the batter.) You should have about 18 “shells” by the end, 14 of which you'll need for this recipe (you can use the rest for dessert). You can also make the crepes ahead and store them, unfilled and wrapped in plastic wrap, in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
    2b. To make regular crepes: Follow the same directions, but use a 10-inch nonstick skillet and 3–4 tablespoons of batter for each crepe. You should have about eight to ten 10-inch crepes. Fill the crepes with whatever you like (such as strawberry coulis; caramelized peaches (see the recipe below); ham, cheese, and eggs; or spinach and feta).
    3. To assemble and bake the manicotti: Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Spread ½ cup of the marinara sauce over the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
    4. In a medium bowl, beat the egg lightly with a fork. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and mix together well. Place a crepe on a cutting board or other flat surface. Starting about 2 inches from one end of the crepe, spread a large spoonful of the filling in a strip across the crepe. Roll the crepe fairly tightly around the filling, then place seam-side down into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining crepes. You should be able to squeeze 10 crepes in one neat row across the dish, then fit another four end-to-end in two rows along the top.
    5. Pour the remaining 1½ cups of sauce over the filled crepes, then spread evenly with the back of a wooden spoon. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Garnish with more chopped parsley, and serve promptly. Serves 3–4.

Marinara Sauce

2 tablespoons (14 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced, pressed, or grated on a Microplane
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons basil chiffonade

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté just until fragrant and lightly colored (don’t burn the garlic!). Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer (around medium-low), and simmer until the sauce thickens a bit, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, and stir in the basil. Taste and adjust for seasonings. The sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days. Makes about 3 cups (which is more than you need for the manicotti).

Dessert Crepes with Peach Filling

2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter

¼ cup (50 grams) brown sugar

a good pinch of cinnamon

a pinch of salt

2 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced thin

4 crepes

confectioners' sugar

    1. Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring the ingredients together in a sauce.

    2. Stir in the peach slices. Cook until the peaches are softened, but not mushy, and the sauce is thickened some and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

    3. Use a slotted spoon to divide the peaches evenly among the 4 crepes. Roll the crepes closed around the peaches, placing each crepe, seam-side down, on a dessert plate. Spoon the sauce remaining in the skillet evenly over the top of the crepes. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, and serve. Serves 2–4.

Banana Filling

This would also be good served over pancakes or waffles.

2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
2 ripe but firm bananas, peeled and sliced 1-cm thick
2 tablespoons maple syrup

a pinch of salt

Melt the butter in an 8- or 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the bananas, syrup, and salt. Cook until the bananas are softened, but not mushy, and the sauce is thickened some and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Use to make dessert crepes instead of the peach filling.