Creamy Seafood Crespelle Manicotti

Ingredients:

· 6 T. butter

· 6 T. flour

· 3 ¾ C. milk

· 4 garlic cloves, minced

· 1 T. parsley, chopped

· Salt and pepper

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· 2 T. butter

· 1 onion, small dice

· 3 garlic cloves, minced

· ½ # shrimp, cut into pieces

· ½ # scallops, cut into pieces

· ½ lemon, zested

· Salt and pepper

· 1 C. mozzarella, shredded

· 3 T. parmesan, fresh grated

· --

· 16 crespelle, recipe follows

· 1 recipe vodka sauce, recipe follows

Preparation

1. Prepare the crespelle and place on a plate. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and set aside.

2. Prepare the Vodka sauce and set aside.

3. Make the Bechamel sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Add the flour and stir in well to ensure that there are no lumps. Cook the flour in the butter for 2 minutes. Add the milk slowly while stirring constantly to create a smooth cream sauce. Add the garlic and parsley, stir in well. Season with salt and pepper and check for a final seasoning. Cover with saran wrap and set aside.

4. Melt the 2 T. butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and saute for another 1—2 minutes. Add the shrimp and scallops, season with salt and pepper and continue to saute until the seafood is cooked. Remove from heat, and stir into the bechamel with the lemon zest. Check for a final seasoning of salt and pepper.

5. Assemble the Manicotti – carefully divide the mixture equally between the 16 crespelle, roll up and place in a greased baking dish, seam side down, and place in a

6. greased baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the crespelle. Spoon the vodka sauce over the top of the manicotti, top with shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses and bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. *You may not use all of the sauce*

For the Crespelle

Ingredients:

· 2 C. milk

· 4 eggs

· 1 2/3 C. flour

· ½ tsp. salt

· 4 T. unsalted butter, melted

Preparation

1. Mix the milk and the eggs; whisk well.

2. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the milk egg mixture and whisk well combine, ensuring there are no lumps. Stir in the melted butter – do not overwork.

3. If batter has lumps, strain the lumps out.

4. Refrigerate batter for a minimum of 30 minutes.

5. Heat a pan over medium low heat. Add 1 tsp melted butter and ladle a bit of batter into the pan, swirl to cover the bottom of the pan and cook until set. Flip over and cook the other side until the crespelle is no longer runny. Set aside to a plate with 1 piece of paper towel in between. When all 16 crespelle are made, cover loosely with a kitchen towel and set aside.

For the Vodka Sauce

· 2 T. olive oil

· 1 onion, diced

· 5 cloves garlic, smashed

· 3 T. tomato paste

· ½ C. vokda

· 1 x 28 oz can pureed tomatoe

· 1 C. heavy cream

· Salt and Pepper

Method –

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan on the stove. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, and cook until it starts to caramelize. About 3 more minutes. Deglaze the pan with the vodka and reduce until the alcohol evaporates. Add the pureed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the heavy cream and reduce by 1/3. Puree the mixture into a smooth sauce. Check for seasoning of salt and pepper.