Savory pancakes: The unexpected vegetarian delight
Most of us enjoy pancakes with sweet fillings, often overlooking how well they work in savory dishes. My personal favorites are those with a filling that doesn't contain any meat, so I prepare them every meatless Friday.
I love pancakes in every form, but I only recently tried them in a savory version. Since then, I've been making them at least once a week. Not only are they delicious, but they're also quick and inexpensive to prepare, and the ingredients are easily available at any store. It's an excellent meal for vegetarians because no meat is added to the filling. All you need is spinach, mushrooms, mascarpone, and pancake batter to create a brilliant and filling dish.
Pancake recipe
I'm providing a pancake batter recipe, but if you have your own tried-and-true method, feel free to skip this step. The most important thing is the filling, which is exceptionally easy to prepare. The ingredients are naturally aromatic, so I only add salt, pepper, and a bit of nutmeg, which wonderfully highlights the creaminess of the filling. I used Grana Padano for my pancakes because I happened to have it in the fridge, but any other cheese, like Parmesan or cheddar, will work just as well.
Ingredients for the batter:
- About 4 cups of all-purpose flour,
- About 1 1/4 cups of milk,
- About 1/2 cup of sparkling water,
- A pinch of salt,
- 2 large eggs,
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
Ingredients for the filling:
- About 1 pound of mushrooms,
- 1 package of baby spinach,
- About 5 ounces of mascarpone,
- 2 cloves of garlic,
- About 2 ounces of grated yellow cheese,
- Salt and pepper,
- Nutmeg,
- Vegetable oil for frying.
Preparation:
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and add a bit of salt. Beat them using a whisk or mixer. Then, gradually add the flour, milk, sparkling water, and oil while continuously mixing to create a smooth, pourable batter. Put it in the refrigerator for half an hour.
- Heat a pan; you don't need to add oil because it’s already in the batter. Pour portions of the batter onto the pan to form thin, crispy pancakes.
- Next, prepare the filling. Wash the mushrooms and cut them into halves or slices. In another pan, heat vegetable oil and add garlic pressed through a garlic press. After a minute, add the mushrooms and spinach, and cook until the excess water evaporates. Season the filling with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. At the very end, mix the filling with mascarpone cheese.
- Spread the hot filling on the pancakes and sprinkle them with yellow cheese. Fold the pancakes into rolls or envelopes.
