Waffles, Crepes and Pancakes (18 page)

Oil for greasing

Filling

Small bunch of chives

12 cooked asparagus spears

3 medium eggs

300 ml / ½ pint / 1¼ cups milk

Freshly milled salt and pepper

3 tbsp peas

3 tbsp sweetcorn

5 tbsp grated Gruyère cheese

1.
Preheat the oven to 180°C, Fan 165°C, 350°F, Gas 4. Lightly grease six 10 cm / 4 inch deep tartlet or muffin tins.

2.
With scissors, finely snip the chives. Cut each asparagus spear into three. Break the eggs into a bowl, lightly beat and stir in the milk and the chives. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

3.
Fold and shape each pancake to fit into each tartlet or muffin tin. The pancakes will sit above the level of the tins.

4.
Spoon some of the asparagus, peas and sweetcorn into each pancake case.

5.
Pour over the egg mixture and sprinkle over the cheese.

6.
Put into the hot oven and bake for 20–30 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Crisp Pancake Triangles

Great as snacks, or to nibble with drinks. The topping is quick to whiz with a food processor, but of course you can also just chop the ingredients finely. Use a pancake maker or a pan to dry torn pieces of pancake for a few seconds on either side, so they are ready to dunk into dips.

Serves 6–8

6 plain pancakes 10 cm / 4 inches across (
page 16
)

Topping

1 red chilli (
page 8
)

3 spring onions (scallions)

Small piece of fresh ginger

Small bunch of parsley

2 garlic cloves

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp tomato purée

3 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Freshly milled salt and pepper

1.
Preheat the oven to 180°C, Fan 165°C, 350°F, Gas 4.

2.
Cut the chilli in half, remove and discard the seeds and stalk. Cut the spring onions (scallions) into three. Peel or scrape the ginger. Pull the leaves off the parsley sprigs.

3.
Put the chilli, spring onions (scallions) and ginger into a food processor. Process for a few seconds until coarsely chopped. Add the parsley leaves, garlic cloves, oil, tomato purée and Parmesan cheese. Process again for a few seconds until finely chopped, but not a paste. Taste and season, if necessary, with salt or pepper.

4.
Cut each pancake into quarters and spread with a very thin layer of the topping. Lift onto baking sheets.

5.
Put into the hot oven and cook for 10–15 minutes until the pancake triangles have dried and started to crisp. Serve hot or cold.

Spinach and Cheese Pancakes

(as shown on the front cover)

Very simple ingredients, but what flavour! Replace the spinach with rocket (arugula), or go half and half. Rocket (arugula) will add a peppery taste to the dish.

Serves 4

8 plain pancakes 18 cm / 7 inches across (
page 16
)

Filling

2 large handfuls of small spinach leaves

40 g / 1½ oz Cheddar cheese or other hard cheese

3 tbsp chopped toasted hazelnuts

450 ml / ¾ pint / about 2 cups cheese sauce

1.
Preheat the oven to 190°C, Fan 175°C, 375°F, Gas 5.

2.
Put the spinach leaves into a pan with a few tbsp cold water. Heat and cook for 1–2 minutes until wilted.

3.
Rinse under cold water, then drain and squeeze out any excess water.

4.
Coarsely grate the cheese. Stir half of the chopped hazelnuts into the sauce.

5.
Spread a little cheese sauce over each pancake (reserving one third). Cover each pancake with a few spinach leaves.

6.
Roll the pancakes over the filling and lift into an ovenproof dish, arranging them in a single layer. Pour over the remaining sauce and scatter over the remaining hazelnuts.

7.
Cover with foil and put into the hot oven. Cook for 10 minutes, remove the foil and cook for a further 10–15 minutes until golden and piping hot.

Bananas, Grapes and Custard Filled Pancakes

Always a favourite, invoking memories from childhood. I’ve added some grapes, but try raspberries or blueberries.

Serves 4

4 thin sweet pancakes 18 cm / 7 inches across (
page 16
)

Filling

4 bananas

Small handful seedless green grapes

150 ml / ¼ pint / generous ⅔ cup prepared English custard

4–6 tbsp plum conserve

Icing sugar, to dust

1.
Preheat the oven to 200°C, Fan 185°C, 400°F, Gas 6.

2.
Thinly slice the bananas. Cut the grapes into quarters.

3.
Pour the custard into a bowl and stir in the sliced bananas and grapes.

4.
Spread some plum conserve over each pancake. Spoon some of the custard mixture onto one half of each pancake. Roll the pancakes over the filling and lift into an ovenproof dish, arranging them in a single layer.

5.
Cover with foil and put into the hot oven. Cook for 15–20 minutes until piping hot and cooked through

6.
Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

Coconut, Pineapple and Ricotta Pancakes

The pineapple slices can be fresh or canned in natural juice.

Serves 4

4 thin sweet pancakes about 18 cm / 7 inches across (
page 16
)

Filling

5 pineapple slices

175 g / 6 oz ricotta cheese

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp rum or orange juice

5 tbsp desiccated coconut

1 tbsp melted butter

1.
Preheat the oven to 200°C, Fan 185°C, 400°F, Gas 6.

2.
Finely chop the pineapple slices.

3.
Pour the ricotta cheese into a bowl and stir in the ground cinnamon and the rum or orange juice. Mix until smooth and stir in half of the desiccated coconut and the pineapple pieces.

4.
Spoon and spread some of the pineapple mixture over each pancake. Roll the pancakes over the filling and lift into an ovenproof dish, arranging them in a single layer.

5.
Brush with a little melted butter and sprinkle over the remaining coconut.

6.
Cover with foil and put into the hot oven. Cook for 15 minutes, remove the foil and cook for a further 5 minutes until golden brown hot and cooked through.

Pancake Raisin Cheesecakes

Pancakes into cheesecakes – the pancakes becoming the ‘pastry cases’.

Makes 6

6 thin sweet pancakes 10 cm / 4 inches across (
page 16
)

Oil for greasing

Filling

1 lime

3 medium eggs

175 g / 6 oz light cream cheese

4 tbsp milk

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

175 g / 6 oz raisins

Icing sugar, to dust

1.
Preheat the oven to 180°C, Fan 165°C, 350°F, Gas 4. Lightly grease six 10 cm / 4 inch deep tartlet or muffin tins.

2.
Finely grate the rind from the lime. Cut in half and squeeze out the juice.

3.
Break the eggs into a bowl, lightly beat and stir in the cream cheese, milk, nutmeg, lime rind and juice. Thoroughly mix until smooth then stir in the raisins.

4.
Fold and shape each pancake to fit into each tartlet or muffin tin. The pancakes will sit above the level of the tins.

5.
Spoon some of the filling into each pancake case and level the surface.

6.
Put into the hot oven and bake for 25–35 minutes until the filling is firm to the touch. Cover with foil if the top becomes too brown.

7.
Leave to cool and dust with icing sugar before serving.