OMLET DI SPINACI (spinach and ricotta crepes )

I am very fond of spinach and next time I visit my sister-in-law in Adelaide, I plan to cook something that holds a special place in our family’s culinary tradition—what my mother always called Omelet di Spinaci. This humble yet elegant dish made quite an impression on my Australian sister-in-law; it was, in fact, one of the very first meals my mother prepared for her when she was welcomed into our home for a Sunday lunch.

Despite its name, omelet—a slightly corrupted version of the French omelette—these are not the fluffy egg-based dishes you might expect. Rather, they are delicate crepes filled with a rich mixture of ricotta and spinach sautéed gently in butter. The filling is similar to what we used in cannelloni, and the crepes themselves are sometimes referred to as crispelle in other regions of Italy.

Sunday lunch was always a grand affair in my parents’ house. It was the day we invited guests to share our table, and my mother would go to great lengths to create something memorable. When we first arrived in Australia from Trieste, in northern Italy, Omelet di Spinaci were very much in vogue—and for a time, they became her signature dish whenever company came over.

Often, the filled crepes were topped with a rich sugo made from high-quality minced veal and beef, slow-cooked to bring out deep, layered flavours. Other times, she would pair them with vitello arrosto—a dish that, despite its name, was never oven-roasted. Instead, the veal was braised slowly on the stovetop, producing a deeply savoury jus that served both as a sauce for the omelets and as the perfect accompaniment to the meat, which was served as the secondo.

These flavours remain deeply tied to my memories of home and hospitality. Cooking Omelet di Spinaci in Adelaide will not only bring a taste of our family’s traditions to the table—it will also be a tribute to the quiet legacy my mother created through her cooking, one Sunday lunch at a time.

A Spinach by Any Other Name

When we first arrived in Australia, what is now widely known as “English spinach” wasn’t readily available.

It only became commercially accessible much later. At the time, what was commonly referred to as spinach in markets was often silverbeet or beet greens (blede in Italian), typically found at quality greengrocers.

Silverbeet, in particular, was a staple in many Australian backyard gardens. However, to use it for dishes like Omelet di Spinaci, we had to strip the tender green leaves completely from the fibrous white stalks—a process that felt like a terrible waste of good produce.

Rather than discard the stalks, we found creative ways to use them. Sometimes we cooked them separately, covering them with béchamel sauce and a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese before baking them in the oven. We would jokingly refer to this dish as cardi—a nod to cardoons, the artichoke’s lesser-known cousin, which it vaguely resembled in texture and taste.

Over time, the term spinach came to refer to various leafy greens in everyday language, adding to the confusion. This is why you’ll sometimes see different types of greens in photos or dishes all described simply as “spinach.”

Of course, during those early years in Australia, it was my job to help in the kitchen—preparing vegetables, stirring sauces, and learning my mother’s methods by heart. Perhaps that’s why my sister-in-law has asked me to make this dish again when I visit her in Adelaide. Omelet di Spinaci are a cherished specialty of northern Italy, and recreating them is not just about the ingredients—it’s about passing on a tradition, one carefully prepared crepe at a time.

3 eggs, slightly beaten, 3/4 cup plain flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 cups milk.
Mix the batter and leave to rest for at least 1 hour.
Fry crepes in a little butter. Make them thin/add more milk if necessary.
The crepes can be left for about 2 hours, and filled later if necessary.

English spinach, (I use 2 bunches for 6 people), 500g ricotta (drained),
50 g grated parmesan, ½tsp. nutmeg, salt. Some people put 1 egg in the
filling. Could be useful if you think that the mixture may be too sloppy.

Place the spinach in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, covered, squeeze out any excess moisture from the spinach. Coarsely chop and sauté the spinach in butter. Add nutmeg, and over medium heat stir occasionally for a few minutes until the spinach is flavoured. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for about 10mins. Add the drained ricotta and parmesan and combine (egg is optional). Season with salt and pepper.

1/4  cup extra virgin olive oil
400g beef mince or cut into small chunks (fat trimmed)
400gveal mince or cut into small chunks (fat trimmed)
1 onion, sliced finely
700g passata or crushed tomatoes
basil, oregano,
salt and pepper