Helen Goh’s Dutch Baby Pancakes with Mortadella & Rocket
Looking for inspiration for Easter brunch or lunch? Helen Goh’s Dutch Baby Pancakes are just the thing. Longtime Ottolenghi associate, Helen shares 100 favourite baking recipes in her debut solo cookbook “Baking & The Meaning of Life” to show how baking brings meaning and joy to our lives.
“What I love about brunch is the sense that anything goes: sweet, savoury and everything in between. From Bloody Marys to banana smoothies, quiche to crepes, bacon to blueberries, mimosas to mocktails, it’s all good. I love the mix and match vibe of this in-between, convivial meal”.
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By Sheridan Rogers
"This pair of Dutch babies are my secret weapons for brunch," says Helen. "Whether you’re Team Sweet or Team Savoury, these dramatic, oven-baked pancakes are ridiculously easy to make. With just a tweak of the simple batter, the pancakes can be sweet or savoury. Golden brown and crisp at the edges, soft and custardy in the centre, they are texturally delightful to eat. They arrive out of the oven magnificently puffed up and then subside helpfully into a bowl shape that will carry any topping you fancy. Don’t feel restricted by the toppings I have given here – make this your own by substituting with your favourites. Just be careful not to overload the tender pancakes".
Ingredients
75 g plain flour
20 g parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus extra,
shaved, for topping
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 large eggs
125 ml full-cream milk
15 g unsalted butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
30 g rocket leaves
olive oil and lemon juice, to dress the rocket
4 thin slices edam cheese (about 60 g)
4 large slices mortadella (about 60 g)
1 Whisk the flour, parmesan, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Crack the eggs into the well, whisk to break them up, then slowly add the milk. Continue to whisk, gradually drawing in the flour until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the batter to a jug, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake (it can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days).
2 Preheat the oven to 190˚C fan-forced and
place a large, deep ovenproof frying pan, about 25 cm in diameter, into the oven to heat up for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, take the batter out of the fridge and stir well.
3 Remove the empty pan from the oven and add the butter and olive oil. Swirl the pan until the butter has melted, then return it to the oven.
Pull the oven rack out slightly, then carefully pour the batter into the pan all at once. Push
the rack back into the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until the pancake is golden brown and puffed up.
4 Meanwhile, dress the rocket leaves lightly with olive oil and lemon juice.
5 When the pancake is cooked, lift it out of the pan with a spatula and slide it onto a large plate. Drape the slices of cheese on the base of the pancake, followed by the slices of mortadella. Top with the dressed rocket leaves and shave extra parmesan cheese all over. Serve immediately.
TIPS:
> Have the pan very hot before pouring the batter in – this is key to the pancake’s impressive rise.
Have your toppings ready to go as soon as the pancake comes out of the oven because it will deflate almost immediately. While that doesn’t affect the taste or texture, you won’t want to miss the gasps when your guests see that glorious puffed-up pancake emerge.
Images and text from Baking and the Meaning of Life by Helen Goh, photography by Laura Edwards. Murdoch Books RRP $55.00.’