Easy Italian Recipes

 MAKES about 2 cups (16 fl oz 500 ml)

3 cups (24 fl oz/750 ml) whole milk
6 tablespoons (3 oz/90 g) unsalted butter
6 tablespoons (2 oz/60 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
Sea salt

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, in a heavy, nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until a thick, smooth paste forms, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Slowly drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of the hot milk into the flour paste while whisking constantly. The mixture will immediately become thick and lumpy. Continuing to whisk vigorously, add the milk about 2 tablespoons at a time. The sauce will gradually become smooth. After adding about ¹/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) of the milk, slowly add the remaining milk in a thin, steady stream while whisking constantly.

Stir in ¹/2 teaspoon salt, return the pan to medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 1 minute.

Use immediately, or let cool, cover, and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat over low heat, stirring constantly and adding a little hot water or milk to thin, if necessary.

Buon appetito !

 MAKES 10-12 servings

For the crespelle
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz/185 g) ali-purpose (plain) flour
- 2 cups (16 fI oz/500 ml) whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Olive oil or canola oil
- 2 cups (16 fI oz/500 ml) white sauce
- 6 oz (185 g) very thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma
- 1/2 Ib (250 g) Valle d'Aosta Fontina cheese, rind trimmed
- 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 ) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In Emilia-Romagna, thin, eggy crépes, called crespelle, sometimes take the piace of pasta. This dish is perfect for a dinner party, since both the sauce and the crespelle can be made up to 2 days before serving, or the entire dish can be assembled and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before you bake it.

To make the crespelle, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, eggs, and salt until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the white sauce and set aside.

Heat a 6-inch (15-cm) crépe pan or nonstick frying pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, brush it very lightly with oil. Scoop up a scant 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/ 60 ml) of the batter, add to the pan, and tilt and swirl the pan to spread the batter evenly over the bottom. Pour any excess batter back into the bowl. Cook the crespelle until the edges begin to brown and lift away from the pan sides, about 1 minute, then flip and cook until spotted with brown, about 30 seconds. Slide onto a plate, and cover with a piece of waxed paper. Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the crespelle and separating them with waxed paper. You should have at least 24 crespelle.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Butter two 9-by-13-by-2-inch (23-by-33-by-5-cm) baking dishes.

Spread a thin layer of the white sauce in the bottom of each prepared dish. Cut the prosciutto and Fontina into pieces equa! to the number of crespelle. Stack a piece of the prosciutto and a slice of the Fontina on one-half of each crespelle, fold it in half, covering the prosciutto and cheese, and then fold into quarters. Place in one of the prepared dishes. Fili and fold the remaining crespelle in the same way and arrange them, overlapping slightly, in the dishes. Spread the remaining sauce over the crespelle, dividing it evenly between the dishes. Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly over the top.

Bake unti] the sauce is lightly browned on the surface and the cheese is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Serve at once.Buon appetito !