Beetroot crepes with radicchio and walnuts

The beetroot crepes with radicchio and walnuts are a vegetarian and lactose-free dish, a delicious treat that reach agreement with everyone thanks to its delicacy. These crepes are an amazing thing. I wondered how to make a delicious recipe also beautiful, I found the answer – as often happens – in the power of pink. A beetroot dose and we are golden: these are the crepes I was dreming about!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

Crepes:

• 2 beetroots pre-cooked (and their juice)
• 250 ml of rice milk
• 3 eggs
• 200 gr of flour
• a pinch of salt
• 3 heads of radicchio Treviso (or red chicory)
• a quarter of a red onion
• a handful of nuts
• grated Parmesan q.s.
• salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil q.s.

Vegan bechamel:

• 70 gr of margarine
• 70 gr of flour
• 700 ml of rice milk
• salt to taste

Matching soundtrack: Mirror man, Ella Henderson

PROCESS

Start making the crepes, like this:

1. blend the beetroots with 3 tablespoons of their juice (usually in vacuum-packed of pre-cooked beetroots there’s their red juice);
2. in a bowl mix little by little the milk with the flour, until there will be no lumps;
3. beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and add to the milk, stir well and add also the beetroots puree;
4. heat a frying pan and grease it lightly, cook the crepes and save for later.

Now’s the time of radicchio:

1. wash and dry its leaves;
2. cut them into small pieces;
3. sauté with a little extra virgin olive oil for 15 minutes with chopped onion, salt and pepper.

Now all you have to do is bechamel:

1. melt the margarine on low heat;
2. turn off the heat and add in the flour a bit at a time, stirring carefully;
3. so add a little milk and let them mix, once absorbed pour all the remaining milk;
4. cook the bechamel on low heat, stirring constantly until boiling. Add salt and put in also an handful of Parmesan;
5. set aside a bowl of “white” bechamel – you’ll need it later – and add to the remaining béchamel the cooked radicchio.

You can form the crepes as you like, I make them out with a triangle shape; however they are very easy to make: you just have to fill the crepe with a few tablespoons of radicchio cream, wrap it in half and spread again with a spoonful of radicchio, folding it over itself. Once formed all the triangles of crepes, arrange them on a lightly greased baking tray with a few spoonfuls of sauce, a sprinkling of grated Parmesan and an handful of chopped walnuts. Bake in pre-heated oven for about twenty minutes at 180 ° C.

Ph. Sara Cartelli
© The Eat Culture