Necci

Name: Necci
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Toscana
Ingredients: 250 g farina di castagne (chestnut flour); 300 ml Water; 2 g Fine sea salt; 25 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 300 g ricotta di pecora (sheep's milk ricotta); 45 ml chestnut honey; 1 g Ground cinnamon

Necci are traditional Tuscan chestnut flour crêpes rolled around creamy sheep's milk ricotta and drizzled with aromatic honey.

🇮🇹Italy· Tuscany

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 35 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 310 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 7 gathered

Servings

250 g farina di castagne (chestnut flour) — sifted thoroughly to remove dense clumps
300 ml Water — cold tap water
2 g Fine sea salt — one small pinch
25 ml Extra virgin olive oil — for the batter and greasing the pan
300 g ricotta di pecora (sheep's milk ricotta) — drained of excess liquid
45 ml chestnut honey — or dark wildflower honey
1 g Ground cinnamon — optional spice for the filling

Equipment

•Non-stick crêpe pan or heavy skillet
•Fine sieve
•Whisk
•Mixing bowl
•Pastry brush

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 310 kcal
fat: 9 g
carbs: 48 g
fibre: 5 g
protein: 10 g
calories: 310 kcal

Instructions

1
Sift the chestnut flour into a large mixing bowl to remove all lumps.
2
Whisk in the cold water gradually until a smooth and pourable batter forms.
3
Stir in the fine sea salt and one tablespoon of olive oil.
4
Rest the batter at room temperature for fifteen minutes to hydrate the flour.
5
In a small bowl, beat the sheep ricotta with cinnamon and two tablespoons of honey.
6
Heat a crêpe pan over medium heat and brush lightly with olive oil.
7
Pour a ladle of batter into the pan and swirl to form a thin round.
8
Cook for two minutes until the edges curl and the surface appears dry.
9
Flip carefully and cook the underside for one minute until lightly browned.
10
Transfer the crêpe to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
11
Spoon a line of ricotta filling down the centre of each warm crêpe.
12
Roll tightly into cylinders, drizzle with the remaining honey, and serve immediately.

Chef's tips

Always sift chestnut flour thoroughly, as its natural oil and sugar make it clump easily during storage. Use a cast-iron skillet or heavy crêpe pan to mimic the steady heat of traditional iron baking plates. Fresh sheep's milk ricotta gives the most authentic flavour contrast against the sweet, earthy chestnut crêpe.

Ingredient substitutions

ricotta di pecora (sheep's milk ricotta) → cow's milk ricotta, though the flavour will be milder and less traditional
chestnut honey → acacia or wildflower honey for a softer, less bitter sweetness
extra virgin olive oil for greasing → lard (strutto), which is the historic fat used in Tuscan mountain villages

Storage

Store plain, unfilled cooked necci interleaved with baking paper in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Reheating

Warm plain crêpes in a dry frying pan over gentle heat for thirty seconds per side before filling.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Skipping the sifting step, which leaves hard pockets of dry flour in the crêpes.
•Making the batter too thick, resulting in dense, leathery pancakes instead of delicate crêpes.
•Cooking over excessive heat, which burns the natural sugars in chestnut flour before it cooks through.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately while the crêpes are hot and the ricotta filling is cool.Pair with a small glass of Tuscan Vin Santo or strong espresso.Offer a savoury version filled with sliced Tuscan lardo or fresh sausage instead of honey.