Ham & Cheese Oven-Puffed Pancake
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This ham and cheese oven-puffed pancake falls halfway between a crepe and a soufflé: crisp on the outside and comfortingly tender inside.
The inspiration for this ham and cheese oven-puffed pancake comes from my latest cookbook crush, Tasting Paris: 100 Recipes To Eat Like A Local by Clotilde Dusoulier. Clotilde is the voice behind the Paris-based cooking blog Chocolate & Zucchini, and also the author of several cookbooks. I spent a lot of time in Paris in my early twenties, both as a student and an au pair, so the recipes and photos in this book have me wistfully longing to go back in time. (Wouldn’t that be nice to do, just for a bit?)
In France, an oven-puffed pancake is called a pascade. Clotilde writes, “If ever a dish was more than the sum of its parts, this is it. The simple batter cooks up to an astonishing texture, halfway between a crepe and a soufflé, crisp on the outside and comfortingly tender inside. Think of it as the French cousin to the Dutch baby…[it’s] a natural fit for brunch, but I like it better in the early evening, served with sparkling wine.” I took Clotilde’s basic recipe and — keeping with the French theme — added a spoonful of Dijon, some chopped ham, grated Gruyere, and chives to make it a bit more substantial.
What you’ll need to make a ham and cheese oven-puffed pancake
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, combine the eggs, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Whisk well to combine, then whisk in the flour.
Gradually add the milk, whisking until the batter is smooth.
Add the cheese and chives.
Mix well.
Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron or nonstick ovenproof pan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and swirl the butter around.
Sprinkle the ham evenly around the pan.
Pour the batter over the ham, then use a fork to be sure the ham is evenly distributed.
Carefully transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
It will appear puffed straight out of the oven, but will quickly collapse. Cut the pancake into thin wedges and serve.
You may also like
- Dutch Baby
- Quiche Lorraine
- Eggs Benedict
- Spinach Frittata
- Zucchini and Cheddar Frittata
- Crustless Broccoli Quiche
- Spinach and Cheese Strata
Ham & Cheese Oven-Puffed Pancake
This ham and cheese oven-puffed pancake falls halfway between a crepe and a soufflé: crisp on the outside and comfortingly tender inside.
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Heaping ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into a measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1¼ cups whole milk (or substitute ¼ cup heavy cream + 1 cup skim milk)
- ⅔ cup grated Gruyere cheese
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 slices (4 oz) thinly sliced ham, finely diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the flour. Gradually add the milk, whisking until the batter is smooth. Stir in the cheese and chives.
- Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron or nonstick ovenproof pan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and swirl the butter around. Sprinkle the ham evenly around the pan. Pour the batter over the ham, then use a fork to be sure the ham is evenly distributed. Carefully transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes. It will appear puffed straight out of the oven, but will quickly collapse. Cut the pancake into thin wedges and serve. (Remember that the pan is hot; I usually place a dishtowel or oven mitt over the handle as a reminder.)
- The pancake is best served fresh out of the oven. However, leftover slices can be reheated in the microwave.
- Note: Unlike a Dutch baby where the edges of the pancake will remain puffy after coming out of the oven, this pancake should puff up a bit in the oven to about 1½ inches high all over, then settle to about ½ inch high as it cools.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 430
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Sodium: 610 mg
- Cholesterol: 210 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Easy but impressive recipe. Used almond milk and Daiya non dairy shredded cheese, spinach and mushrooms. Turned out great!
I woke up with the intent to make a Dutch Baby, but had no berries! I wanted mine to look like yours…but I had all the ingredients to make this dish – I am so happy I did. This was super easy to assemble, quick to cook, & absolutely delicious. My only substitution was Swiss Cheese instead of Gruyere because that is all I had. SO GOOD! I will go ahead & admit that throughout the whole day we ate the entire thing. Thanks.
Was a delicious addition for Thanksgiving! Easy but fancy. Another big hit in our house, like so many of your recipes! Thanks!
Can I double ingredients and cook in 12-inch skillet?
Hi Kt, I’d actually make 1.5 times the recipe. Keep in mind that the bake time may be a bit different, so keep a close eye on it. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Ridiculously. Easy……..this recipe epitomizes a perfectly delicious breakfast!
Yummy! I’ve made this before and we really enjoyed the flavors. Last night I served the listed salad with the pancake. I followed another reply about making it GF with using gf flour + 1/2 tsp baking powder. I used canadian bacon, instead of ham and had leftover shallot from the salad dressing, so I added it to the bacon. Yum yum yum. Thanks Jenn!
This was great – simple yet tasty. My cast iron skillet was “out of order” so I simply put 2 Tbsp of butter in an 8″ glass baking dish and let it melt inside the preheating oven. It was more than enough butter as I poured nearly a tablespoon off the top when it was done baking… and it was delicious! Our whole family loved it. We will be adding this to our rotation.
I was wanting a quiche but saw this recipe in your recent email and tried it as it was so easy. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out delicious. I’m looking forward to eating the leftovers for breakfast. I also made the apple and manchego cheese salad you recommended as an accompaniment and it too was well received. Love your recipes.
Made this for Eater breakfast today. Delicious and well received by my family. Thanks!
I just made this and it was wonderful! I had to substitute an egg, and the gruyere for sharp white cheddar (we were out) but it still came out great. I believe yours is a perfect cookbook – every new recipe I try gets added to the permanent rotation. And it’s nice to see this was inspired by “Tasting Paris: 100 Recipes To Eat Like A Local”; I just bought this a week ago!