Shrove Tuesday is upon us! I love using buckwheat flour in my pancakes as it imparts a lovely nuttiness and this works particularly well with the butter pears in this recipe (and the generous helping of creamy Gorgonzola). Happy flipping!
Ingredients
60g buckwheat flour
40g plain flour
270ml milk
1 egg
Butter
3 conference pears
Thyme
Gorgonzola
Method
Start by peeling the pears and cutting in half, removing the core with a teaspoon before coating in lemon juice. Heat a large knob of butter in a frying pan (around 30g) and add a few sprigs of thyme. Cook for a couple of minutes until crisp, then remove and place on some kitchen paper before adding the pears to the pan, cut side down. You will need to cook them for anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes depending on their ripeness, turning halfway but they should be deep golden colour – soft but still holding their shape.
While the pears are cooking, make the pancake batter by adding the flour and a pinch of salt to a bowl, make a well in the centre and add the egg and half the milk. Stir slowly, gradually incorporating the flour until you have a thick paste. Whisk in the rest of the milk until you have a thick but pourable batter.
Heat a frying pan (or pancake pan if you have it) over a medium heat and add a small knob of butter. Use a brush to spread the fat around the pan to ensure even cooking. Cook the pancakes add more butter to the pan between each. Place the cooked pancakes on a warm plate in a very low oven. The mixture will make 6.
When the pancakes are cooked, slice each piece of pear in half and place on to a pancake, crumble over some Gorgonzola and some of the crisp thyme. Fold the pancake in half, covering the pear and then fold the half into 3. Stack the pancakes on a plate and drizzle over the remaining butter from the pan, some additional Gorgonzola and more crisp thyme.
This recipe works well with a crisp salad, particularly bitter leaves like radicchio or chicory.