Crepes with Porcini in a Sweet Pepper Sauce

From The Valentino Cookbook

Garnish:
2 tablespoons whole Italian parsley leaves (optional)

In a medium bowl beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of the milk. Add the flour and mix well. Incorporate the rest of the milk little by little, and strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve.

Melt the butter in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Let the butter cool and add it to the crepe batter. Heat the same pan again and ladle a few tablespoons of the batter into the pan, tilting it so that the bottom is evenly coated. When the edge of the crepe begins to color, turn it over and cook the other side for a few seconds. Repeat the procedure with the rest of the batter and let the crepes cool.

Preheat oven to 500°F.

In a skillet, brown 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add half the garlic and all the mushrooms and sauté over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Turn the heat down and cook for 5 more minutes.

Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool. Stir in the ricotta cheese, egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper and a little nutmeg, to taste.

In the skillet, sauté the shallot in olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and the peppers and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. In a food processor, combine the peppers, cream and remaining butter and pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Place about 2 tablespoons of the porcini filling on each of the 8 crepes. Fold them in half to form a half-moon shape and fold in half again to form a triangle. Place the crepes in a single layer in a lightly buttered baking dish. Spread the remaining porcini stuffing on top of each crepe, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the crepes are crispy and light brown in color. Spread the red pepper sauce on 4 plates and place 2 crepes on each plate. Garnish with whole parsley leaves.

Yields 4 servings (of 2 crepes each).

Note: To prepare toasted garlic, use 1-1/4 cups (preferably extra-virgin) olive oil and 10 to 15 garlic cloves. In a saucepan or skillet, warm 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic slices and sauté until medium golden in color. Drain and reserve the oil for cooking something else, if desired. Place the garlic in a glass jar or bottle and add the remaining 1 cup olive oil. Tightly cover. Store in a cool, dark cabinet or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

(Updated: 10/21/08 SN)