Pancakes are my obsession. From syrup-drenched stacks delivered by waitresses with name badges to farinata cooked with nonnas, I’ll eat pancakes at any time of day. The crisp edges and soft insides are a perfect pair of textures, and always make for a thrill when eaten at dinnertime. Not least these two. The first is a chickpea flour pancake, a staple in my family; the second is the result of an experiment to use up mashed potato.
Quick chickpea and carrot crepes (pictured above)
These pancakes are great for quick dinners and lunches, either topped or filled and folded; they are also good alongside a curry. I add caraway seeds to mine, but you can switch these for fennel, mustard, cumin or bashed coriander seeds, or even a mixture, depending on the filling you want to make.
Prep 10 min
Cook 20 min
Serves 8
For the crepes
250g chickpea flour
250g carrots, grated
350ml whole milk (I use oat milk)
1 tsp caraway seeds
Salt and black pepper
Olive oil, for frying
Four favourite toppings:
Vinegar-dressed beetroot, cottage cheese, horseradish and dill
Crispy fried egg, roasted cherry tomatoes, flash-fried greens, lemon zest and basil
Leeks, avocado, feta, soft herbs, lemon and parsley
Grated carrots, coriander leaves, yoghurt, lime and mango chutney
Put all the crepe ingredients except the caraway seeds into a blender and season with salt and pepper. Blend on high until you get a thin, smooth pancake batter. Dry roast the caraway seeds in a frying pan, then fold into the batter.
Heat one teaspoon of the oil in a medium-sized, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add a small ladle of the batter to the pan. Work quickly to swirl it around so the batter covers the base of the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes, then flip over and cook on the other side for another 30 seconds.
Repeat with the rest of the batter, adding a little more oil each time. Stack on a plate with greaseproof paper in between each pancake and keep warm in a low oven.
Top with veg, leaves, cheese and eggs as you please, as per my suggestions.
Potato, polenta and cheese pancake
A crispy potato and sharp cheddar pancake with the pleasing crunch of polenta, topped with greens and lemony herbs. I make this using leftover cooked potatoes, but it’s good enough to cook them for. These quantities will make enough to serve four as a light meal and two as a hearty one.
These pancakes can be made ahead of time and stored, covered, in the fridge for up to four days. They can also be frozen, separated by sheets of greaseproof, for up to two months. If cooking from frozen, allow to defrost for half an hour at room temperature before using.
Prep 15 min
Cooking 45 min
Serves 2-4
500g potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
100g sharp cheddar, grated
3 tbsp polenta
Salt and black pepper
To serve
1 bunch greens (approx 200g), eg spring greens, cavolo nero, kale
1 small bunch each parsley and coriander
1 unwaxed lemon
Put the potatoes into a large pot of well-salted boiling water and cook for about 20 minutes, until soft. Drain and leave to steam dry.
Meanwhile, cook the onion in a frying pan with a little olive oil over a medium heat until it is soft and sweet, but not brown; this should take eight to 10 minutes.
Put the potatoes into a bowl and use a spoon to mash them a little: you want some texture, but no large pieces. Add the onions, cheese and polenta, and season well with salt and pepper.
Heat some olive oil over a high heat in a 22cm non-stick pan; once it’s sizzling hot, press the potato mixture into the pan to form one big pancake (it should look like a Spanish tortilla). Turn down the heat to medium and cook until the pancake has a deep golden crust.
To turn, gently slide the pancake on to a plate and then, using a tea towel to protect your hand, put the pan on top of the uncooked side of the pancake, carefully flip it over, then put it back on the heat.
Cook the second side until crisp and golden. If it falls apart a bit, just press it back together.
Once cooked, serve with flash-fried greens and herbs dressed in olive oil and lemon juice with a good pinch of salt.
