Have you ever tried a dish that combines two culinary traditions into one surprising recipe? That’s exactly what happens with crêpe cannelloni. Instead of classic pasta tubes, soft crêpes wrap a flavorful meat filling and bake in a creamy tomato sauce.
The first time I made them was for a Sunday lunch when I wanted something different but still comforting. The delicate texture of the crêpes makes the dish lighter than traditional cannelloni, while the filling—enhanced with anchovies, wine, and basil—adds depth and character.
When baked in the oven with tomato cream sauce and Parmesan, the result is a dish that feels both rustic and refined. It’s perfect for a family lunch, a cozy dinner, or when you want to surprise your guests with something special. Let’s see how to make Crêpe Cannelloni.
Crêpe Cannelloni
Crêpe cannelloni are an elegant twist on the classic Italian baked pasta dish: thin crepes filled with seasoned ground beef and baked with a creamy tomato sauce and parmesan on top.
Ingredients
- Crepes 10
- Ground beef 400 g
- Anchovies in oil 2
- Anchovy oil 1 tablespoon
- Shallot 1
- Red wine 1 glass
- Crushed dried chili pepper 1 pinch
- Dried basil to taste
- Cooking cream 50 ml
- Tomato pulp 200 g
- Freshly grated parmesan to taste
Tools
- Large pot
- Wooden spoon
- Immersion blender
- Baking dish
- Grater
Instructions
- Peel the shallot, removing the outer layers, and finely chop it together with the anchovies.
- Place the chopped mixture in a large pot with the anchovy oil and chili pepper. Cook over medium heat until the shallot becomes translucent.
- Add the ground beef and brown it, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
- Deglaze with the red wine, lower the heat and cook for about 10-12 minutes.
- Season with dried basil, then turn off the heat and let the filling cool slightly.
- Meanwhile prepare the sauce by blending the cooking cream with the tomato pulp and a little basil using an immersion blender.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of the sauce over the bottom of a baking dish.
- Mix 2 more tablespoons of sauce into the cooked meat filling.
- Fill the crepes with the meat mixture and roll them up to form cannelloni.
- Arrange the cannelloni neatly in the baking dish.
- Cover with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan.
- Bake at 200°C for 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, cover with a lid or aluminum foil and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
- Leftovers can be frozen and later thawed at room temperature for 3-4 hours, then reheated briefly under a hot grill.
Nutritional values (per serving)
498 kcal
26 g
29 g
33 g
6 g
3 g
520 mg
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