Creamy Spinach and Shrimp Enchiladas
I got this recipe from a creole recipe website. This is an adaptation of a recipe for crespelle alla Fiorentina. The tortillas substitute for crepes.
I got this recipe from a creole recipe website. This is an adaptation of a recipe for crespelle alla Fiorentina. The tortillas substitute for crepes.
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 3 cups milk
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach
- 1 pound peeled small gumbo shrimp cooked
- 2 8 oz pkg shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 teaspoons salt divided
- 1/3 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- 4 pinches ground nutmeg divided
- 6 tablespoons butter divided, plus butter for baking dish
- 2 pinches pinches garlic salt
- 20 ea flour tortillas
- Carbohydrate 313.138142497581 g
- Cholesterol 234.565875 mg
- Fat 59.8837437499689 g
- Fiber 19.019249429498 g
- Protein 58.6672812496725 g
- Saturated Fat 18.1345919999951 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (731g)
- Sodium 4000.47549999994 mg
- Sugar 294.118893068083 g
- Trans Fat 3.72738474998969 g
- Calories 2047 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook spinach according to package instructions.
- Drain and press out as much moisture from spinach as possible, and place in large mixing bowl with eggs, shrimp, cheeses, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/3 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 pinches nutmeg, mixing thoroughly. (This filling can be made up to 8 hours ahead; keep refrigerated.)
- Butter one or two casserole dishes that have the same width as the diameter of the tortillas.
- To assemble each enchilada, spoon about ? cup of the filling down center of tortilla, and roll tortilla into a fairly tight cylinder.
- As they are filled and rolled, place enchiladas seam-down in greased casserole dish, packing them snugly in a single layer; set aside.
- In a 2-quart saucepan, melt 5 tablespoons butter.
- Stir in flour until roux is smooth, and cook over medium heat until bubbly but not yet beginning to brown, about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Slowly add milk, stirring until all is added and mixture is smooth.
- Cook over medium-low to low heat, until sauce is creamy thick, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping pan bottom well.
- Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon salt, ? teaspoon black pepper, and 2 pinches nutmeg.
- Slowly drizzle sauce over enchiladas, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon melted butter.
- Bake uncovered until bubbly around edges and top is just barely browned, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and sprinkle lightly with garlic salt.
- Serve warm.
Swapping delicate Italian crepes for standard flour tortillas transforms a classic Florentine pasta bake into a hearty casserole that handles a heavy dairy sauce without falling apart. Flour tortillas possess enough structural integrity to hold a dense filling of shrimp, spinach, and multiple cheeses while absorbing the surrounding bechamel during baking. Working in a compact kitchen requires strategic staging, and this filling can be prepared up to eight hours ahead and stored in the refrigerator until assembly time. Packing the rolled cylinders snugly in a single layer ensures they support one another as the sauces bubble and thicken in the oven.
Mastering the Bechamel and Assembly
Building the white sauce starts with a pale roux cooked for exactly one minute in a two-quart saucepan over medium heat until bubbly but entirely unbrowned. Whisking the milk slowly prevents lumps from forming in the flour base, creating a smooth medium-thick consistency after fifteen to twenty minutes of frequent stirring and scraping along the pan bottom. Pour the finished sauce evenly over the arranged tortillas before transferring the casserole to a preheated 350-degree oven for twenty minutes, adding a final touch of melted butter to encourage browning.
- Watch for bubbling around the edges of the dish and a barely browned top crust to confirm doneness without needing a probe thermometer.
- Press excess moisture thoroughly out of thawed frozen spinach using a fine-mesh strainer or clean kitchen towel to prevent a watery filling.
- Melt the remaining butter gently in a separate small pan if the surface needs an extra boost of color during the final minutes of baking.
