Maple syrup and fresh berries might be the Instagram crowd’s pancake topping of choice, but allow us to make a case for the unsung hero that is the savoury pancake. Stuffed with oozing cheese or nestled around a runny egg, packed with earthy mushrooms, chunks of ham or whatever else you’ve got knocking around in the fridge, the savoury pancake is every bit as versatile and joyful as its sweet counterpart. Evading easy categorisation, it has a legitimate claim to belonging at every mealtime, from breakfast right through to brinner. And without it, how else could we turn our Pancake Day dinner into a three-course affair?
From Rick Stein’s buckwheat crêpes with mushroom and egg to Madhur Jaffrey’s rice pancakes with chutney, here we’ve gathered together 8 of our favourite savoury recipes to try.
Rick Stein’s Buckwheat Crepes with Eggs and Mushrooms
Rick Stein’s savoury buckwheat crêpe is a taste of France, packed with mushrooms, oozing cheese, and a runny cooked egg.
From the book
Rick Stein’s Secret France
A culinary journey across France with Rick Stein
All of your favourite recipes from the BBC series
Secret French recipes alongside authentic classics
Smoked Salmon & Chive Potato Pancakes with Horseradish Cream
Simon Hopkinson’s smoked salmon and chive potato pancakes are fried in clarified butter and served with a peppery horseradish cream. Not just for Pancake Day, these indulgent pancakes would also make an excellent dinner party starter.
Crêpes et galettes (Pancakes and Buckwheat Pancakes)
Originally from Brittany, crêpes and galettes (made with buckwheat flour) have been adopted as France’s national snack, and tiny booths serving them with a choice of toppings can be found on virtually every Parisian street. If you’re eating them the traditional way, they should be washed down with a glass of Breton cider.
Classic Pancakes Stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta (Panzerotti Tradizionali)
The Chiappa sisters put a twist on the classic spinach and ricotta cannelloni with these delicious Panzerotti. “We loved these as children and would help Mum stir the mixture and roll them up – we called them ‘roly-polys’.”
Rice Flour Pancakes
Eaten for breakfast or as a snack food, this recipe from Madhur Jaffrey is served with chutneys and pickles. You can also wrap them around any vegetable dish of your choice and serve them at lunch with a salad.
Turkish Spinach Galette
Galettes are great carriers for all manner of filling, including lots of fruit and veg. This recipe is packed with lots of fresh spinach, punchy harissa and a runny egg yolk in the middle for dipping.
Baked Pancakes with Gruyère
Raymond Blanc’s baked pancakes are stuffed with spinach, mushrooms and plenty of Gruyère cheese. Prepare the stuffed pancakes a day in advance and wake up to a ready-to-go breakfast.
Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pancakes)
Loaded with tuna, bacon, dashi stock and egg, these okonomiyaki-inspired pancakes are as savoury as it gets. Once you’ve got the hang of SymmetryBreakfast’s recipe you can customise this recipe to include your favourite ingredients.
