Crespelle con tagliolini e pomodoro - Tagliolini Crespelle in a Tomato Sauce

Here pasta becomes a delicious filling, giving the dish a full Italian flavour. 

I fill my crespelle (the Italian version of the French crepes) with tagliolini, simply dressed with butter and sage. I reserve a good amount of cooking water to keep tagliolini moist and light.  On top, just a plain tomato sauce.

Crespelle con tagliolini e pomodoro

Tagliolini Crespelle in a Tomato Sauce

Crespelle:

100 g plain white flour

2 large eggs

250 ml milk

A pinch of salt

Olive oil

Filling: 

150 g tagliolini 

50 g butter 

4 fresh sage leaves, chopped 

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan 

Tomato sauce: 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 garlic clove, crushed 

400 g tomato passata 

Sea salt 

Freshly grated Parmesan to serve 

Serves 4 to 5

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: approx 60 minutes

Crespelle

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, eggs and a pinch of salt and gradually add the milk stirring to combine. Leave to rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.

2. Brush a small (14cm diameter) frying pan with oil and heat it. Add a ladle full of the batter, tipping the pan until the bottom is coated and cook for 1 to 2 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate and repeat until the batter is finished.

Tomato sauce

3. In a pan, heat the oil and sauté the garlic for 1 minute. 

4. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with herbs and salt.

5. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Tagliolini filling

6. In a pan, bring 2 litre of water to the boil.

7. Add a good pinch of salt along with the tagliolini. Stir with a wooden spoon and cook for 3 minutes.

8. In a small pan heat the butter and leave to melt. Stir in the sage and remove from the heat.

9. Reserve a full ladleful of the cooking water. Drain the tagliolini and place them in a large bowl. Dress with  the hot water and the butter. Stir and adjust the seasoning.

10. Fill the crespelle with the tagliolini and roll them. 

Baking

11. Grease an oven dish with butter and arrange the crespelle over. 

12. Cover with the tomato sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan.

13. Bake for 15-20 minutes. 

14. Leave to rest 5 minutes before serving.