Necci con ricotta / Chestnut crepes with whipped ricotta, fresh pear and salted caramel

Serves 4:

• 250 g of chestnut flour, sifted
• 1 small glass of water or more if needed
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• a pinch of salt
• butter for frying

For the filling:

• 300 g of ricotta
• 2 tablespoons of fine sugar

For the salted caramel and garnish:

• 50 g of butter
• 125 ml of double cream
• 100 g of sugar (you can use soft light brown sugar)
• a few pinches of salt of half a teaspoon of flaky salt
• some sliced fresh crunchy pears for garnish

In a bowl mix the chestnut flour, pinch of salt, olive oil and gradually add the water. Stir until well combined. You should obtain a fairly liquid batter close in consistency to the traditional crepes.

Leave to rest for about 30 minutes.

Heat a pan for the crepes and melt some butter, not too much.

Pour enough batter into to the pan to form a round pancake (it will be a bit thicker than a regular crepe) and fry on a medium heat turning it once. Repeat until all batter is used.

In the meantime prepare the salted caramel:

Put the butter in a  saucepan and melt it over a medium heat. Add the cream, sugar and salt and bring to the boil stirring to help the sugar to dissolve. 

Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

Whip the ricotta with the sugar to a smooth creamy consistency. Add more sugar if you prefer, but don’t forget that there will be a layer of the caramel coating the necci.

Fill each crepe with some ricotta and roll.

Place the rolled necci on a serving plate. Pour over some warm salted caramel and decorate with  a couple of pear slices.