With pancake day and Valentine’s being so close together this year I couldn’t resist a little heart-shaped frivolity so I bring you savoury Valentine’s pancakes filled with creamy mushrooms and wilted spinach!

Savoury valentine's pancakes.

To make Savoury Valentine’s Pancakes you will need:

Serves 4 (makes about 16 pancakes. If you are only serving two people, as I was for a romantic tête à tête, you can freeze the left over pancakes for another day. It’s not worth making less mixture as half an egg is a pain! Do remember to halve the quantities for the filling if you are doing this)

For the Pancakes

1 free range egg

125g plain flour

400ml milk

salt and pepper

rapeseed oil for frying

For the Filling

1 red onion, finely chopped

200g mushrooms, finely sliced

200g fresh baby leaf spinach, washed and drained

3 tbsp curd cheese/cream cheese/ricotta

2 generous tbsp creme fraiche

2tsp Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 generous tbsps fresh parsley, chopped

2 tbsps grated vegetarian parmesan style cheese

You will also need a good non stick pan, non stick baking parchment and a heart shaped cutter

Method

  • Whisk the egg, milk and flour together until you have a smooth batter, add a pinch of salt and a generous grinding of fresh black pepper
  • Heat a little oil in a heavy bottomed, non stick frying pan until a heat haze rises (my pan is 20cm in diameter)
  • Pour a small ladleful of pancake mix into the hot pan and tip to cover the bottom
  • Cook until the top sets, flip the pancake over and cook the other side
  • When the pancakes are done stack them up between layers of greaseproof paper and put to one side to cool

A stack of pancakes on grease proof paper, next to another in the pan.

 

  • Meanwhile, make the filling. Fry the onion in a little oil until soft but not browned
  • Add the mushrooms and fry until they release their juices, add the spinach and garlic and fry until the spinach wilts
  • Remove from the heat, stir in the curd cheese, Dijon, creme fraiche and parsley and leave to cool a little
  • Cut heart shapes out of the pancakes (the cut off bits needn’t go to waste, pop them in the freezer and use them to make a pancake lasagna for lunch on another day)
  • Line a baking tray with non stick baking parchment and begin layering up the hearts. A heart at the base then a spoonful of filling spread over it and another pancake on top. Use four pancakes per person if they are this size. Finish with a spoonful of filling and a sprinkling of parmesan style cheese
  • Put the stacks into a preheated oven (180°C) for about 20 minutes until the cheese is browned and the pancakes are piping hot.

Serving Suggestion

I served ours with boiled, minted, buttery new potatoes, fennel and almond salad (recipe to follow) and beetroot marmalade.

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