Soups and Starters Recipes - Pancakes with Spinach and Ricotta Recipe

  
 

Soups and Starters Recipes - Pancakes with Spinach and Ricotta Recipe

Ingredients

Serve 6

  • 1 quantity Basic Pancake Batter

  • vegetable oil, for frying 

Tomato sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 shallot, finely chopped

  • 1 carrot, finely chopped

  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped

  • 1 garlic clove, crushed

  • 750 g/1 1/2 lb bottle passata

  • 250 ml/8 fl oz Vegetable Stock or water

  • 1 teaspoon dried basil

  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

  • salt and pepper 

Filling:

  • 250 g/8 oz ricotta cheese

  • 125 g/4 oz frozen leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

  • 2 eggs, beaten

  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

  • pinch of grated nutmeg 

Béchamel sauce:

  • 50 g/2 oz butter

  • 2 tablespoons plain flour

  • 500 ml/17 fl oz milk

  • 50 g/2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

Method:

  1. First, make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the shallot, carrot, celery and garlic and fry over a low heat, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes.

  2. Stir in the passata and stock or water, add the basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes until thickened.

  3. Meanwhile, cook 12 pancakes in a lightly oiled 18 cm/7 inch frying pan, stacking the pancakes up, interleaved with grease proof paper, as they are cooked.

  4. Stir the parsley into the tomato sauce and spread half the sauce evenly over the base of a large ovenproof dish. Mix together the ingredients for the filling and season to taste with salt and pepper.

  5. Put a spoon of the filling on one of the pancakes, spreading it down one side, then roll the pancake up around it. Place the pancake in the dish and then repeat with the remaining pancakes. Pour over the remaining tomato sauce.

  6. To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until golden.

  7. Gradually whisk in the milk and bring to the boil. Simmer, whisking constantly, for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in half the Parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper.

  8. Pour the béchamel over the pancakes, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and bake in a preheated oven, 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4, for 30-35 minutes. Serve hot, straight from the dish.