Go Back
+ servings
a forkful of crepe cannelloni with ricotta and spinach
Print

Crepe Cannelloni with Ricotta and Spinach

Crepe cannelloni with ricotta and spinach filling are made with paper thin crepes wrapped around a savory filling and topped with a simple tomato sauce. The perfect alternative to pasta dough for cannelloni, this crepe version melts in your mouth!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Italian crepes filled with ricotta and spinach
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings 12 cannelloni
Calories 263kcal

Equipment

  • 8-inch non stick skillet or crepe pan
  • 9 x 13 inch baking dish

Ingredients

For the crepes

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp. butter melted
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • pinch of salt

For the tomato sauce

  • 1/2 small onion finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • pinch red pepper flakes optional
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 796 ml tomato passata jar (tomato purée)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • butter or vegetable for greasing the pan

For the filling

  • 475 grams ricotta
  • 100 grams frozen spinach defrosted and excess water squeezed out
  • 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese grated
  • 1 cup mozzarella shredded
  • pinch salt
  • pepper to taste

For topping

  • 1 cup mozzarella shredded

Instructions

Prepare the crepe batter

  • In a large bowl combine all ingredients for the crepes (eggs; melted butter; flour; salt; milk and water) and combine well. You may use a whisk but a hand held mixer or blender are a lot more effective for a crepe batter with a smooth consistency. Cover and let rest for half an hour.

Make the tomato sauce

  • While the batter is resting prepare the tomato sauce: In a large sauce pan, sauté the onion for 2-3 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste and a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional). Stir in the tomato passata and be sure to swirl some water in the jar (at least 1 cup) to get the remaining sauce that's stuck in the jar and add to the sauce pan. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer for about half an hour while you prepare the filling and the crepes.

Prepare the filling

  • In a medium sized bowl combine ricotta; defrosted spinach; Pecorino Romano cheese; mozzarella; a pinch of salt and pepper.

Cook the crepes

  • Lightly grease an 8-inch skillet or crepe pan if you have one with butter or vegetable oil over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, place a ladle full of batter in the pan. Swirl it around to coat the bottom and partially up the sides of the pan. Tilt the pan over the bowl with the batter to drip off the excess batter. This is a technique I learned from my husband's aunt and it's perfect for making extra thin crepes with an even thickness.
  • Place the pan on the burner and cook for about one minute. You will know that it's time to flip the crepe when the sides begin to detach themselves from the pan, the crepe will begin to bubble and brown. Use a spatula to flip it over and cook for about 30 seconds longer.
    Don't worry if the edges begin to crisp up a little. Once they are piled on top of one another and cool, they will soften.
  • Stack the crepes on a plate and cover with a kitchen towel as you continue cooking the rest of the crepes. You should have 12 crepes in all.

Assemble the crepe cannelloni

  • Although you can definitely use a spoon to scoop the filling onto each crepe, I prefer placing the filling in a freezer bag with the tip cut off (or a pastry bag) and piping the filling on the lower third of each crepe.
  • Roll the crepe around the filling and place seem side down on a plate or tray.

Bake the crepe cannelloni

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Coat the bottom of a rectangular baking dish with sauce. Arrange the prepared crepe cannelloni in the dish. Ladle sauce over the cannelloni, just enough to cover. Sprinkle the top with shredded mozzarella.
  • Bake covered with foil for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes longer. Serve hot.

Notes

Tips and suggestions: 
  • The number of crepes you make may vary according to the exact size of pan used and how thick each crepe turns out.
  • A typical serving size is 2-3 cannelloni per person depending on whether you are serving them as a main dish or first course.
  • The crepes may be filled with a meat mixture if you prefer. Recipe coming soon!
  • Use 3 1/2 cups fresh spinach instead of frozen spinach. Rinse and wilt in a skillet. Let cool and squeeze out excess water.
  • To round out this delicious meal, why not make a batch of my mom's best Italian meatballs to add to your tomato sauce!
  • You may have some extra tomato sauce, keep it refrigerated or freeze to serve with pasta for a future meal.
  • This recipe can be easily doubled or even tripled to feed a crowd.

Can the crepes be made ahead?

Yes they can. Once cooled, cover the stack of crepes with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days prior to filling with the ricotta spinach mixture. I do not place parchment paper between each crepe before refrigerating them as they do separate easily. To save time, the ricotta spinach filling can be prepared a day before assembling and baking the cannelloni.

Can crepe cannelloni be frozen?

They definitely can be frozen at different stages of preparation:
  • Unfilled crepes can be frozen with sheets of parchment paper separating them and placed in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight in order to fill the following day.
  • Crepes with the ricotta spinach filling can be frozen. Place in an airtight container with sheets of parchment paper separating each layer of crepes. To bake, place frozen crepes in your baking dish, top with sauce and bake for 30 minutes covered with foil. Uncover and continue baking for 10-15 minutes longer
  • Finally, a fully assembled tray of crepes covered in sauce can be frozen prior to baking. They do not require defrosting prior and will take about an hour to bake.

Nutrition

Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 343mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1586IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 285mg | Iron: 2mg