RICOTTA CHEESE CREPES WITH PERSIMMON APRICOT MARMALADE

Steps:

• Sift flour, sugar and salt into a bowl. Add the eggs and just enough milk to make a soft paste with the flour. Mix until smooth and lump free. Gradually mix in the rest of the milk and the oil. The batter should be the consistency of heavy cream. If too thick, thin with a bit of water. If it has lumps, pour the batter through a fine strainer. Let the batter rest for 2 hours before making crepes.
• Rub an 8-inch crepe pan, or non stick skillet, lightly with oil. Heat over moderate heat until very hot. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in 3 to 4 tablespoons of the batter. Very quickly tilt the pan to cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of batter. Immediately dump out any excess batter since the crepe must be very thin. Return the skillet to the heat for 60 to 90 seconds until the bottom of the crepe is lightly brown. Flip the crepe over and lightly brown the other side.
• Slide the finished crepe onto a plate. Continue making crepes until the batter is finished and stack them on the plate. Cover the finished crepes with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the filling, pour ricotta cheese into cheesecloth and tie the cloth in a knot. Put a weight (or filled can) on top of the cheese and place over a colander to drain overnight.
• Mix the cheese, egg yolks, butter, salt, sugar and cinnamon. Place 2 tablespoons in the center of each crepe and roll. Crepes may be filled in advance and kept in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Just before serving, bake in a 250 degree F oven for 15 minutes. Serve crepes warm, sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon and powdered sugar to garnish the plate. Top with persimmon and apricot marmalade.
• To make the marmalade, cut apricots in half and reserve. Cut out the leafy base from the persimmon then quarter the fruit lengthwise. Skin each quarter with a knife. Cut the skinned persimmons into small pieces. Combine the fruit into a non aluminum saucepan with the sugar, lemon juice, cloves and apricots. Simmer slowly for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring constantly, not letting the marmalade come to a boil. Reduce this mixture to a jam like consistency and chill.
• TIP: Cut off a piece of the pointed tip of a hachiya persimmon, then wrap it tightly, first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Partially thaw the persimmon in the refrigerator until it is just spoonable, about 4 hours, do not thaw completely or the fruit will be mushy. For an added nuance, insert the tip of a knife and dribble in a little fruit or nut liquor. Serve whole and let the guests scoop the pulp from the skin