Colm O'Gorman's sensational savoury Dutch Baby pancakes (with a sweet alternative too)

It is Pancake Tuesday next week, so I thought I would share a recipe that is a bit of a spin on the traditional pancake.

When our kids were little, I always struggled to make pancakes for breakfast on Shrove Tuesday, it was too much to manage on top of school lunches and getting everyone out the door for school and for work.

Instead, we often had pancakes for dinner, and this savoury pancake recipe is perfect for that. It is also a fabulous brunch dish.

Calling this a Dutch Baby Pancake is a bit of a misnomer really.

Firstly, Dutch Baby pancakes are not remotely Dutch, they were in fact invented in the US in the early part of the 1900s and are a take on a German recipe.

The use of the word ‘Dutch’ is likely a corruption of the German ‘Deutsch’.

Secondly, these are not small pancakes, while they were originally often cooked in single portions, most recipes these days see them cooked as a single large pancake that could serve six to eight people.

And then finally, these ‘pancakes’ are oven baked, rather than fried. Yes, they are still cooked in a large skillet or pan, but they are baked. In fact, they are more like a very large Yorkshire pudding than a traditional flat pancake.

Dutch Baby Pancakes are usually cooked as a sweet dish, with vanilla, cinnamon and sugar included in the recipe and then served with lemon juice and a dusting of sugar or with fresh berries and maple syrup.

This recipe though, is for a savoury version, with cheese, spring onions and fresh herbs. Use parmesan or gruyere for the best flavour, or better yet, a combination of both.

You could serve this dish without any toppings and a simple green salad with parmesan shavings and a simple dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and ground black pepper on the side.

That would be a lovely supper, but if you want a more substantial meal, add some toppings.

Fresh burrata with a drizzle of honey and fresh lemon wedges is beautiful with this dish.

Burrata is a beautiful Italian cheese, and while it looks very like mozzarella, it is much creamier and has more flavour which makes it perfect for this dish. It is reasonably widely available, I got mine in SuperValu and it was fabulous.

I also tossed some cherry tomatoes in olive oil, fresh thyme, sea salt and black pepper and a drizzle of honey and then roasted them at 180 Celsius for ten minutes.

Finally, I grilled some smoked rashers of bacon and arranged all of that on top of my Dutch Baby Pancake as soon as I took out of the oven. It was divine!

Savoury Dutch Baby pancakes

recipe by:Colm O'Gorman

These delicious ‘pancakes’ are oven baked, rather than fried.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 25 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Baking

Cuisine

 German

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs

• 140g plain flour

• 200ml full fat milk

• 1 tsp sea salt

• ½ tsp ground black pepper

• 2-3 spring onions, chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped

• 35g butter

• 60g freshly grated parmesan or gruyere cheese, or a combination of both

• Suggested Toppings

• 2 balls burrata cheese

• 250g roasted cherry tomatoes

• Crispy smoked streaky bacon

• Lemon wedges

• A drizzle of runny honey

Method

1. Heat your oven to 200 Celsius, and pop in an ovenproof skillet or non-stick frying pan. It should be about 24cm in diameter. Heat the pan for twenty minutes in the oven, you want it very hot before you add the pancake batter.

2. While the oven and skillet are heating up, make the batter.

3. Beat the eggs in a food mixer or a large bowl until they are light and airy, about three minutes at high speed should do it.

4. Add the milk and gently whisk that through to combine it with the eggs. Sieve the flour into the mixing bowl over the milk and eggs and add the salt and black pepper. Fold in the flour until you have a smooth batter, using a whisk towards the end of you need to smooth out a few lumps.

5. Next, add the chopped thyme and the chopped spring onion and stir those through the batter.

6. Melt the butter and remove the skillet from the oven, taking care not to burn yourself as it will be very hot by now. Pour the melted butter into the pan and swirl it around to cover the whole surface.

7. Quickly pour in the batter before the butter begins to burn. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the surface of the batter and return the skillet to the oven.

8. Bake the pancake for 15-20 minutes until it has puffed up in the pan and is golden brown. This will likely take about twenty minutes, but check it after fifteen, as depending upon your oven, it might cook a little more quickly. When the pancake has risen past the sides of the skillet and is puffed up, beautifully golden brown and looks rather like a large Yorkshire pudding, it is done.

9. Remove the skillet from the oven and arrange your toppings over the pancake in the pan. Remember to drizzle the burrata with honey and a little lemon juice if you are serving it with your pancake.

10. Serve your Dutch Baby immediately. Pop the skillet down in the middle of the table and just let everyone help themselves.

Baby Dutch Pancake with Fresh Berries

recipe by:Colm O'Gorman

This supersized Dutch Baby Pancake is made in a large oven-proof skillet, baked in the oven, and then served up to share. Have it with lots of fresh berries, maple syrup and some good smoked streaky bacon for a beautiful holiday brunch.

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs

• 1 ½ tbsp caster sugar

• 140g plain flour

• 200ml full fat milk

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• A pinch of grated nutmeg

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• A pinch of sea salt

• 35g butter

• To Serve:

• 175g fresh blueberries

• 175g fresh raspberries

• Icing sugar

• Maple syrup

• Crispy smoked streaky bacon

Method

1. Heat your oven to 200°C, and pop in an ovenproof skillet. It should be about 24cm in diameter. Give the skillet about twenty minutes in the oven, you want it very hot by the time you are ready to add the batter.

2. While the oven and skillet are heating up, make the batter. Beat the eggs and caster sugar in a food mixer or a large bowl until they are light and airy. Sieve the four, and then add it, along with the milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Whisk until you have a smooth, light, thin batter.

3. Melt the butter and remove the skillet from the oven, taking care not to burn yourself as it will be very hot by now. Pour in the melted butter and swirl it around the pan. Quickly pour in the batter and put the skillet back in the oven.

4. Now watch the magic happen. Your pancake will puff up in the skillet, becoming golden brown and rising beautifully. This will likely take about twenty minutes, but check it after fifteen, as depending upon your oven, it might cook a little more quickly.

5. When the pancake has risen past the sides of the skillet and is puffed up and beautifully golden brown, it is done. Remove the skillet from the oven, scatter lots of fresh berries over the pancake and dust it with a little icing sugar. Serve it in the skillet in the middle of the table immediately.