Savory Margherita Crepe Cake Recipe
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
46 minutes
Servings:
8 Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 basil leaves, torn by hand
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 ½ tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus more for greasing the pan
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound fresh mozzarella, diced and at room temperature
  • 6 basil leaves
Directions
  1. Transfer the canned tomatoes, including the liquid, into a bowl.
  2. Squeeze the tomatoes by hand to break them apart.
  3. Add the oil, the 8 torn basil leaves, and the salt, and stir. Taste and adjust for salt if desired. Set the sauce aside.
  4. Make the crepes: Place the milk, ¼ cup water, eggs, flour, melted butter, and salt in a blender and blend until smooth, about 20 seconds.
  5. Heat a small amount of butter (roughly ¾ teaspoon) in a medium skillet on medium heat.
  6. Pour a scant ¼ cup of batter into the hot pan, tilting and rotating the pan so the batter coats the bottom surface in a thin layer. Cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes, until the top is set and the bottom is lightly browned.
  7. Gently loosen the edges with a spatula and carefully flip the crepe. Cook for 1 more minute, until the bottom is lightly browned. Transfer the crepe to a dish or tray.
  8. Repeat the process to cook the remaining batter, greasing the pan in between each crepe so the crepes don’t stick when you stack them (the batter should be enough for about 15 crepes). Stack subsequent crepes on top of the first one. Start the next steps immediately while the crepes are still warm, or make them ahead and reheat first.
  9. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  10. Place 1 crepe on the baking sheet.
  11. Spread 2-3 tablespoons of sauce on the crepe.
  12. Evenly sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of diced mozzarella on top of the sauce. That is the first layer.
  13. Continue to layer crepes, sauce, and mozzarella until you have used up the ingredients. There should be 15 total layers.
  14. Preheat the broiler to high for about 5 minutes.
  15. Place the crepe cake under the broiler and broil for about 1-2 minutes, until the cheese on the top is melted. It’s extremely important to watch the cake carefully so it doesn’t burn.
  16. Remove the crepe cake from the oven. Garnish it with the remaining fresh basil and serve immediately.