Cheatin' Wheat Gluten Free Recipes

Fiocchi di Scrippelle

boiling water and sugar for caramel
thicker sugar syrup as mixture moves through sugar cookery stages
straw colored stage of caramelization
amber colored sugar
caramel with preserves, juices and butter added
gluten free crepe ribbons in the caramel sauce

Description

Most of my favorite dishes come from a place of resourcefulness and frugality. This gluten free Fiocchi di Scrippelle is no exception. The sauce is made from ingredients that are household staples and the scrippelle are made from leftover, previously frozen, stale or otherwise ugly gluten free crepes. Now if phrases like frugal, cheap, easy and resourceful are not exactly selling you on this recipe, let me also tell you this dish is scrumptious, playful and unique.

My friend Brian, of Cook with Cook, first turned me on to this dessert. He discovered the recipe while thumbing through Lidia Bastianich's Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy. As soon as I saw it, I set out to make gluten free crepes so I could then make this fabulous dish.

Ingredients

12
Gluten Free Crepes
1 c
Sugar
1 c
Water
2 T
Corn Syrup (Optional)
2 T
Butter
1 c
Apricot Preserves (Or Orange Marmalade)
2 T
Lemon Juice (About 1 lemon)
1⁄4 c
Orange Juice
1 c
Toasted Pine Nuts (Optional)

Summary

Yield
People
SourceLidia Bastianich
Prep time
5 minutes
Cooking time
20 minutes
Total time
25 minutes

Instructions

Scrippelle:
Stack three or four crepes and roll them up into a cylinder, about the size of a cigar. Slice the roll crosswise every inch for wide strips like Fettuccine. Separate and unfurl the cut pieces into ribbons. Continue to slice up all the crepes.

Sauce:
Put the sugar in a large heavy-bottomed sauce pot or skillet. Add the water and corn syrup if using. Gently shake the pan a bit to evenly moisten all the sugar. Make sure the sides of the pan are clean and there are no sugar crystals clinging. 

Set the skillet over medium-high heat, and, without stirring, let the sugar dissolve into a syrup and come to a boil. Don't stir or shake the pan as it cooks, evaporating all the water and nearing the temperature of caramelization. This can take a while, but you actually have to watch this pot boil. Have the remaining sauce ingredients, butter, apricot preserves and citrus juices, ready. 

When the syrup bubbles become noticeably thicker, watch closely for it to take on color. This usually happens near the edge of the skillet first. As the syrup turns straw colored, turn the heat to medium-low and gently swirl so it caramelizes evenly to a deep-amber color. Still over heat, add the butter and preserves. The mixture may bubble violently. Stir steadily as they melt into the caramel. Pour in the lemon and orange juices, stirring carefully, as the caramel will bubble and splatter.

Raise the heat, and bring the sauce back to a boil, stirring steadily. Drop in the crepe ribbons. Toss the strips for about 2 minutes until they're heated through and glazed all over with the caramel sauce.

Using tongs, lift out one serving of ribbons, and drop it onto a dessert plate - giving the ribbons a twist as you release them to make a pretty nest-like mound. Top each serving with a big spoonful of whipped cream and a scattering of pine nuts. Serve right away.