Serve Up a Savoury Feast this Pancake Tuesday with a Tasty Leek, Ham and Cheese Pancake Bake

Brought to you by Bord Bia

Whip up something different this year and add a tasty twist to your Pancake Tuesday.

It's that time of year again for one of the highlights of the spring calendar, Pancake Tuesday! Not only does this date signal the start of brighter, longer days, but it’s also a brilliant excuse to pop on an apron, get messy in the kitchen and serve up pancakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. While sweet pancakes and crêpes may be crowd-pleasers, why not change it up this Tuesday, and try a savoury style mix using local and in season leeks? This delicious recipe from foodie Rachel Hornibrook, is a great savoury alternative and even contributes to 1 of your 5-7 a day. Without a doubt, leeks are the star ingredient of this recipe, their delicate flavour compliments the ham and cheese perfectly. Purchasing fresh, local and in season fruit and vegetables optimises both nutrition and taste. Plus, selecting seasonal fruit and vegetables supports local growers and the domestic industry. Also remember, when shopping for fruit and vegetables, always look out for the Bord Bia Quality Mark.

Rachel Hornibrook’s Leek, Ham and Cheese Pancake Bake

Ingredients

For the pancakes / crêpes: (P.S. Leftover mash potatoes can also be used in the pancake batter! It's a great way to incorporate more veggies!)

• 150g plain flour
• 200ml milk
• 20g butter, melted
• 1 egg
• Olive oil or butter to fry
• Left over mashed potato (optional)

For the filling

• 1 leek, washed, split in half and thinly sliced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 400ml milk
• 50g butter
• 110g grated cheese
• 1 tsp grainy mustard
• 100g shredded ham
• Salt and pepper

Method

• Combine all the ingredients (if using potato, you can add it in here), except for the butter, in a bowl and blitz until smooth.
• Add the butter and blitz again.
• Leave to rest for an hour or overnight in the fridge.
• Using a large pan over medium heat, add some olive oil or butter to fry. Fry the pancakes/crêpes off in batches and set aside
• Fry the leek in 1 tsp of olive oil in a small pot over medium heat for 5 minutes and set aside.
• Add the butter and melt. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. 
• Gradually add in the milk, and continuously whisk.
• Remove from the heat and add 80g of the cheese. 
• Allow the cheese to melt and whisk until smooth.
• Add the leek, ham, mustard and seasoning (salt and pepper).
• Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
• Fill each pancake/crêpe with 2-3 tbsp of the leek mixture and roll. Place in a buttered oven dish, add the remaining leek mixture on top, and sprinkle over the remaining cheese.
• Bake for approx. 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden. Serve and enjoy! 

Sponsored by Bord Bia  For more delicious fruit and vegetable recipes and other information, visit fruitnveg.ie. and follow @lifeisbetter.ie on Instagram for more recipes like this! The ‘Life is Better with Fruit and Vegetables’ millennial campaign is a three-year Bord Bia campaign supported by the European Union to encourage more consumption of fresh, locally grown and seasonal fruit and vegetables by increasing knowledge of the nutritional benefits of fruit & vegetables, their versatility, how simple they are to prepare and their compatibility with a healthy lifestyle.