Gateau de Crepe a la Florentine
Serves 10
Mornay Sauce: (makes 3 cups)
4 Tbsp. butter
5 Tbsp. flour
2 cups boiling milk
¾ cup vermouth
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
¼ cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Swiss cheese (divided)
Melt butter and stir in flour; cook 1 minute without browning. Stir in the boiling milk, vermouth and seasonings. Boil 1 minute. Reduce to a simmer and stir in the cream, a little at a time. Remove the sauce from the heat. Stir in ¾ cup of the cheese.
Spinach Filling:
3 boxes frozen spinach, chopped (10 oz. each)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. minced shallots
¼ tsp. salt
dash pepper
dash nutmeg
Blanch spinach in boiling water to thaw. Melt the butter, sauté shallots. Add drained spinach and seasonings and stir over moderately high heat for 2 minutes to evaporate the moisture. Stir in ½ cup Mornay sauce. Simmer slowly for 8-10 minutes.
Mushroom Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese
salt & pepper
1 egg
1 Tbsp. butter
¼ lb. minced mushrooms
1 Tbsp. minced shallots
In a mixing bowl, stir the cream, seasonings and egg. Stir in ½ cup Mornay sauce. Heat the butter, sauté mushrooms and shallots for 5 minutes. Stir them into cheese mixture.
Ham Filling:
½ lb. cooked ham, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Combine the 3 ingredients and stir in ½ cup Mornay sauce.
To assemble:
Charlotte mold
12 crepes
remaining Mornay sauce
4 Tbsp. grated Swiss cheese
4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Butter the bottom and sides of the Charlotte mold. Put 1 crepe at the bottom and folded crepes on the sides. Layer the fillings and crepes, alternating each until used, with a crepe on top. Cover with parchment paper.
Bake in a bain-marie—put Charlotte mold in a pan of water—and bake in a 475 degrees oven for 25-30 minutes. Invert to unmold. Put the remaining Mornay sauce over the top and sprinkle the two cheeses on top.
© Sally Bernstein, 2005