Crespelle with Crescenza and Pecorino cheese filling, bacon and beans puree

• 20 minutes to prepare • 30 minutes to cook • Serves 4

 

 

Abanico verde 

Beans, it is well known, go hand in hand with Pecorino cheese, and coincidentally they are particularly popular in two regions that boast of the best productions of this hard cheese, Lazio and Sardinia. The high protein content of beans made them for a long time one of the classic food of the poor, thanks to affordable price, ease of cultivation and distribution, and to the good health and nutritional properties. They indeed guarantee the right intake of iron and other minerals, and a considerable amount of vitamins, especially if eaten raw.

Today we propose a dish where the protagonists are beans and Pecorino cheese. It's a very tasty dish, although not really diet-friendly, thanks to the amazing combination of these two ingredients. To tickle your palate with some crispiness, toasted bacon is also featured. Flavors, colors, creamy and crunchy tactile sensations: this recipe is a complete rapture.
Tomorrow you will go back into your whole gym routine...meanwhile, enjoy every last morsel!

Here's what you will need for the 4-serving recipe:

For 8 crespelle 

2 eggs
450 ml milk
100 g flour

For the filling

250 g Crescenza cheese
50 g grated Pecorino cheese
150 ml milk
100 g bacon
1 shallot
300 g frozen beans
1 l vegetable broth
salt and pepper
EVO oil

1. Pour 500 ml of water in a large pot and bring to boil. As soon as the water boils, add salt and  the frozen beans. Let them cook for about 5 minutes
2. Remove the beans from the heat and drop them into an ice-water bath for an immediate cool down. Drain the cooled beans and remove the tough outer skins with a knife
3. In a pan pour 1 tablespoon of EVO oil, add a finely chopped shallot, the beans, a pinch of salt and pan-fry for a couple of minutes. Add vegetable broth, one ladle at a time, until beans are fully cooked and soft (approximately 5 minutes)
4. When beans are ready, pour them in a blender and reduce them to puree. If the final mixture is too dry, add some broth: beans puree should be smooth and creamy
5. Meanwhile, prepare the filling: in a bowl mix 150 ml of milk and Crescenza cheese with an electric beater. Add grated Pecorino cheese, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of salt
6. Cut the bacon into small cubes and make it toast over medium heat in a non-stick, very hot, pan; once the bacon becomes golden, remove it from the pan and lay it on paper towels, to preserve its crispiness
7. At last, prepare the crepelle. Beat the eggs with a whisk, add 450 ml of milk, the sifted flour and a pinch of salt. Make a frying pan very hot, pour a small ladle of crespelle mixture and let it cook for about 2 minutes per side. Proceed to the same way for each crespella
8. Fill crespelle with the Crescenza filling while they are still warm. Arrange them on a serving dish on a bed of creamy beans puree and with some puree on top, too. Sprinkle them with crispy bacon and serve immediately!

In the following, Nutrition Facts of this dish are indicated. Data is provided per serving.

Eat. Burn. Sleep. Repeat.
Eat. Burn. Sleep. Repeat.