As we’re hurtling towards the holidays, I am trying to hang on to my health by the skin of my teeth... There are too many cookies around, too many boozy parties, those “let’s get together before the holiday!” dates are abound and I never seem to get enough sleep. As much as I revel in the holiday spirit, I’m also slightly worried about my blood sugar levels on any given pre-holiday-day... Which is why I love making @jamieoliver’s Super Spinach Pancakes! The color alone convinces me that I’m doing my body some good and as you can play with what you fill the pancake, you can go all out super healthy or choose a divine middle way as I’ve done here with crispy mushrooms, sautéed cherry tomatoes and yellow bell pepper, with a few lashings of ricotta for good measure. (Hey, I never said I was a saint!) This is as good as they come and probs also as good as it gets for me healthwise until around January 1st... Here's my (and Jamie’s ❤️) secret recipe! xoxo Donata
Ingredients Pancakes
Makes about 6-8 pancakes, depending on the size of the pan you’re using
2,5 cups (75 g) baby spinach leaves
1 large free-range egg
1 cup (120 g) self-raising flour
1 cup (250 ml) milk
Olive oil
Ingredients Filling
6 oz (150 g) mushrooms, sliced
11 oz (300 g) cherry tomatoes
1 yellow bell pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
coarse salt
pepper
1 cup (250 g) full fat ricotta
copped chives for garnish
Instructions
Crack the egg into a blender, add the flour, milk, spinach and a generous pinch of salt and pepper, then blitz until smooth. Place a large non stick frying pan on a medium heat, rub the pan with a little olive oil, then pour in a thin layer of batter, swirling it up and around the edges. Cook on one side only for 2 minutes, or until lightly golden, then stack up on a serving plate and repeat.
Heat 1/2 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan on medium to high heat and place the mushrooms in the pan in a single layer. Once the mushrooms are in the pan RESIST the urge to move them around or stir them for about 3-4 minute. Cook until the bottom side is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Season with some salt and pepper, then turn the mushrooms and continue to cook, reducing heat as needed to avoid burnung, until golden brown all over, about 4 minutes more. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add another squiggle of olive oil to the pan you just used, then add the cherry tomatoes, bell pepper and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Sauté until the skins on the tomatoes are splitting open and the peppers have softened. Add the balsamic vinegar and reduce for another minute or so until the tomatoes and peppers are glazed. Remove from pan.
Take a pancake and layer on a helping of the tomatoes, peppers and mushrooms. Dollop on some ricotta, sprinkle with chopped chives and serve immediately.
Adapted from a recipe by Jamie Oliver from the cookbook Veg (2019)
https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/spinach-recipes/super-spinach-pancakes/