Recipe: Crepes with Mushrooms, Spinach, and Cheese

Crepes with Mushrooms, Spinach, and Cheese

12 crepes from accompanying recipe
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 - 1 1/4 pounds mushrooms (a combination of white button, shiitake, oyster, portobello, chanterelles and/or whatever kind is available), rinsed, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 8 cups)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 10-ounce package fresh spinach, washed, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 5-ounce package mild goat cheese, crumbled
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Basic Crepes
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon brandy (optional)
Makes 15 6-inch crepes

To make the crepes:
Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, butter and brandy, if using, until blended. Add to the flour all at once and gently stir with the whisk until blended. Let stand for at least 1 hour at room temperature. (The batter can be refrigerated, covered, overnight; stir to blend before using.) Heat a small (6-to-7-inch), heavy nonstick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat until hot enough to sizzle a drop of water. Brush with a thin film of vegetable oil, or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Ladle about 3 tablespoons batter (or a scant 1/4 cup measure) into the hot pan and quickly tilt to coat the pan and make a thin pancake. Cook the crepe until the edges begin to curl and the underside is golden, about 1 1/2 minutes. Loosen the edges of the crepe with a thin flexible spatula or a heatproof rubber spatula and gently turn. Cook the underside until lightly spotted with color, about 30 seconds. Turn the crepe out onto a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining batter, stirring it occasionally. As the crepes are made, transfer them from the rack to a pie plate. Cover lightly with a piece of foil and keep warm in an oven set at the lowest temperature. The crepes can be cooled, wrapped in foil and refrigerated for a few days before reheating in a warm oven. They can also be frozen for a least 1 month. Cool, stack them on top of one another and wrap tightly in foil and then in a freezer bag. They thaw at room temperature in about 1 hour and can be reheated right in the foil (in a 350 F oven for 15 minutes) without unwrapping.

The rest of the recipe:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Heat the oil in a large skillet until hot enough to sizzle a slice of mushroom. Add the mushrooms all at once and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute.
Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the spinach. Cover and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Uncover, add the goat cheese and stir until melted.

Spoon the mushroom mixture down the center of each crepe. Roll up the crepes and arrange them side by side in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with eh mozzarella cheese. Cover the pan with foil and heat until the cheese melts, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.
Makes 12 crepes or 4 servings.