Chef Graziella
Asparagi e Uova alla Veneta
The Venetian celebration of spring, where prized white asparagus meets butter-fried eggs and the yolk becomes the only sauce you need. This is restraint as philosophy.
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Scrippelle 'Mbusse
Created by
Paper-thin egg crepes from Abruzzo, rolled with sharp pecorino and submerged in ladlefuls of hot, golden chicken broth. Three components. Nothing to hide behind.
Breakfast & Brunch
Italian
Comfort Food
20 min
Active Time
1 hr 30 min cook•1 hr 50 min total
Yield4 servings
The first useful thing to know about Italian cooking is that, as such, it actually doesn't exist. There are the cuisines of Emilia-Romagna, of Venice, of Naples, of Sicily. And there is the cooking of Abruzzo, which gave us these simple egg crepes swimming in broth.
Scrippelle 'mbusse is restorative food. The kind of thing an Abruzzese grandmother makes when someone is recovering from illness, or when the morning demands warmth and substance without heaviness. The crepes are thinner than French crepes, almost translucent when held to the light. They roll around aged pecorino, nothing else. Then hot chicken broth transforms them into something that is neither soup nor crepe but something entirely its own.
The broth must be impeccable. If your broth is weak or cloudy, the dish fails. There is nowhere to hide inferior ingredients when you have only three components. This is the discipline of Italian home cooking: what you keep out is as significant as what you put in.
Scrippelle 'mbusse emerged from the pastoral traditions of Abruzzo, where shepherds and their families relied on eggs from their hens, cheese from their sheep, and broth made from whatever fowl was available. The dish appears on Christmas tables throughout the region, though its origins are humble. The dialect name, meaning 'wet little crepes,' distinguishes this preparation from the dry scrippelle used in timballi and layered dishes.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
large eggs
Quantity
4
all-purpose flour
Quantity
1 cup
water
Quantity
1 cup
fine sea salt
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
flat-leaf parsley
Quantity
2 tablespoons
minced very fine
unsalted butter
Quantity
for the pan
chicken broth
Quantity
6 cups
homemade
aged pecorino Romano
Quantity
4 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups)
finely grated
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| large eggs | 4 |
| all-purpose flour | 1 cup |
| water | 1 cup |
| fine sea salt | 1/4 teaspoon |
| flat-leaf parsleyminced very fine | 2 tablespoons |
| unsalted butter | for the pan |
| chicken brothhomemade | 6 cups |
| aged pecorino Romanofinely grated | 4 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •8-inch nonstick or seasoned crepe pan
- •Thin flexible spatula
- •Fine-mesh sieve for flour
- •Warm shallow soup bowls for serving
Instructions
- 1
Make the batter
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly with a fork. Sift the flour into the eggs gradually, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the water in a steady stream, continuing to whisk until the batter is completely smooth and the consistency of heavy cream. Stir in the salt and minced parsley. The batter should be thin. If it coats the whisk too thickly, add another tablespoon of water. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
The resting period allows the flour to hydrate fully and the gluten to relax. Skipping this step produces tough crepes that tear when rolled. - 2
Heat the pan
Place an 8-inch nonstick or well-seasoned crepe pan over medium heat. Add a small piece of butter, about half a teaspoon, and swirl to coat the bottom. The butter should foam and subside but not brown. If it browns instantly, your pan is too hot. Reduce the heat.
- 3
Cook the scrippelle
Stir the batter. Pour about 3 tablespoons into the center of the pan and immediately tilt and rotate the pan so the batter spreads into a thin, even circle. The crepe should be nearly translucent. Cook until the edges begin to curl away from the pan and the surface is set, about 45 seconds. Flip with a thin spatula or your fingers and cook the second side for 20 seconds more. The crepe should have pale golden spots but remain pliable.
Stack the finished scrippelle on a plate as you work. They will not stick to each other. You should have 12 to 14 crepes. If your first crepe is too thick, add a bit more water to the batter. - 4
Heat the broth
Bring the chicken broth to a simmer in a saucepan. Taste it. It should be richly flavored and properly salted. If your broth tastes thin or flat, do not proceed. This dish depends entirely on the quality of the broth. Keep it at a gentle simmer while you assemble the scrippelle.
- 5
Fill and roll
Lay a scrippella flat on your work surface. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of grated pecorino in a line down the center. Roll the crepe tightly around the cheese, forming a neat cylinder. Place three rolled scrippelle in each warm, shallow bowl. They should fit snugly together.
- 6
Serve immediately
Ladle the hot broth over the rolled scrippelle, enough to come halfway up their sides. The crepes should be bathed, not drowned. Sprinkle additional pecorino over the top and finish with freshly ground black pepper. Serve at once. The scrippelle will absorb the broth as they sit, which is desirable, but they should reach the table still holding their shape.
Once the broth is ladled, there is no waiting. Call your family to the table before you begin this step. Put off talking and start eating.
Chef Tips
- •The broth cannot be from a box or a cube. Make it yourself from a whole chicken, carrots, celery, onion, and parsley stems. Simmer for at least three hours. Strain and degrease. This is the foundation of the entire dish.
- •Aged pecorino Romano has the necessary sharpness. Do not substitute Parmigiano-Reggiano, which is too delicate here. The pecorino's salt and tang cut through the richness of the broth and eggs.
- •In Abruzzo, some cooks add a pinch of nutmeg to the batter. Others consider this heresy. I leave it to your judgment, but start without it.
- •Leftover scrippelle can be stacked with béchamel and ragù to make scrippelle 'mbuss in a timballo. Nothing is wasted.
Advance Preparation
- •The chicken broth should be made one to two days ahead. Refrigerate overnight, then lift off the solidified fat before reheating.
- •The scrippelle can be made several hours ahead, stacked between sheets of parchment, and kept at room temperature. Do not refrigerate them or they become leathery.
- •Do not roll the scrippelle with cheese until just before serving. The cheese melts slightly from the hot broth, which is part of the pleasure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 540g)
Calories
400 calories
Total Fat
21 g
Saturated Fat
11 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
8 g
Cholesterol
240 mg
Sodium
750 mg
Total Carbohydrates
25 g
Dietary Fiber
1 g
Sugars
1 g
Protein
26 g
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