Equipment
Ingredients
Pancake Batter
- 125 g all-purpose flour
- 2 g fine salt
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 300 ml whole milk, room temperature
- 20 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
Filling and Cooking
- 15 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 100 g smoked ham, thinly sliced
- 120 g gruyere cheese, freshly grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and fine salt. Make a well in the center and add the eggs.
Gradually whisk the milk into the flour and eggs, starting from the center and pulling dry ingredients from the edges until a smooth batter forms. Stir in the melted butter.
Cover the bowl and let the batter rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat, approximately 175°C/350°F. Melt a tiny amount of butter to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
Pour about 75ml of batter into the center of the pan, immediately lifting and tilting the pan in a circular motion to spread the batter out to the edges into a thin, even circle. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Slide a spatula under the pancake and gently flip it over. Cook the second side for 30 seconds to lightly brown.
Reduce the heat slightly. Scatter roughly 30g of the grated Gruyere cheese and a slice of smoked ham evenly over one half of the pancake in the pan.
Allow it to cook for another minute until the cheese melts. Fold the bare half of the pancake over the filling side, creating a half-moon shape.
Transfer the filled pancake to a warm plate. Repeat the cooking and filling process with the remaining batter, greasing the pan lightly between pancakes if necessary. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Resting the batter is crucial. It gives the gluten time to relax and the starch grains time to swell and absorb the liquid, resulting in a much more tender pancake that is less prone to tearing.
- For a crispier edge, use clarified butter or a neutral oil for cooking. The milk solids in regular butter can burn quickly over medium heat.
- Do not overfill the pancakes. An even, thin layer of cheese and a single slice of ham ensures the cheese melts completely before the outside of the pancake becomes overly brown.
- To make these ahead for a crowd, cook the pancakes fully without fillings, stack them between sheets of parchment paper, and refrigerate. When ready to eat, place them back in a hot pan, add fillings, and fold.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store unfilled pancakes tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Separate unfilled pancakes with parchment paper before freezing.
Reheating: Warm gently in a skillet over medium heat before adding fillings.
