Mushroom Ricotta Crepe Parcels

Ingredients

• 8 thin savory crepes, homemade or good store-bought
• 500 g mixed mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for the dish
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated, divided
• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
• 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan, plus extra to finish
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley, divided
• 1 small tin chopped tomatoes or 2 cups crushed fresh tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon honey or sugar, optional if tomatoes are sharp
• Fine salt and black pepper
• Optional: chili flakes, basil, simple green salad, or roasted broccolini to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200 C / 400 F. Lightly oil a baking dish that fits the folded crepes snugly.
2. Cook the mushrooms in a wide pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes. Let them release liquid, then keep cooking until the pan looks mostly dry and the mushrooms are deeply browned.
3. Add half the garlic for the last 30 seconds. Scrape the mushrooms into a bowl and cool for a few minutes.
4. Stir ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest, half the parsley, and extra black pepper into the mushrooms. Taste before adding more salt because parmesan can be salty. The filling should be creamy but not loose.
5. Simmer the tomatoes with the remaining garlic, bay leaf, a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and honey if needed for 8-12 minutes, until glossy and spoonable. Remove the bay leaf.
6. Spoon filling into the center of each crepe. Fold the sides inward, then fold top and bottom to make compact parcels. Place seam-side down in the dish.
7. Spoon tomato sauce over and around the parcels, leaving some crepe edges visible. Bake 10-12 minutes, just until hot.
8. Finish with parmesan crumbs, the remaining parsley, black pepper, and a small drizzle of olive oil. Serve warm.