Savoury spinach and mushroom pancakes: A meat-free delight
Most of us enjoy pancakes with sweet fillings, often forgetting how well they work with savoury options. My favourites are those with a filling that contains no meat at all, so I cook them every meatless Friday.
I love pancakes in every form, but I only recently tried them in a savoury version. Since then, I've been making them at least once a week. Not only are they delicious, but they're also quick and affordable to prepare, and you can find the ingredients 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 satisfying dish.
Pancake recipe
I'm providing a pancake batter recipe here, but if you have your own tried-and-true method, feel free to use it. The most important aspect is the filling, which is incredibly easy to prepare. The ingredients are aromatic on their own, so I only add salt, pepper, and a bit of nutmeg to highlight the creaminess of the filling. I used Grana Padano for my pancakes because I had it in the fridge, but any other cheese, like Parmesan or cheddar, will work just as well.
Ingredients for the batter:
- about 480 grams of all-purpose flour,
- about 300 millilitres of milk,
- about 120 millilitres of sparkling water,
- a pinch of salt,
- 2 large eggs,
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
Ingredients for the filling:
- about 450 grams of mushrooms,
- 1 package of baby spinach,
- about 140 grams of mascarpone,
- 2 cloves of garlic,
- about 55 grams 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. Whisk or use a mixer to beat them. Then add the flour, milk, sparkling water, and oil while continuously mixing to create a smooth, pourable batter. Refrigerate 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.
- Now for the filling. Wash and slice the mushrooms. 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 with grated yellow cheese. Fold the pancakes into rolls or envelopes.
