Potato pancakes with spiced beetroot

Method

1. For the pancakes, cook the potatoes in their skins in a pan of boiling water, until tender. Drain and, when cool enough to handle, peel and pass through a potato ricer (or sieve) into a bowl. Add the flour and baking powder and season well. Add the milk, a little at a time, stirring to combine, then whisk in the eggs to make a thick batter.
2. Heat some oil in a 20cm frying pan over a medium-high heat and spoon in 2 large, heaped spoonfuls of the batter. Tilt the pan to spread the mixture over the pan. Cook for about 1 minute, or until the mixture bubbles up, then turn the pancake and cook for a further minute on the other side.
3. Remove from the pan and keep warm while cooking the rest of the pancakes, lightly greasing the pan with a little oil between each one.
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4. For the filling, cut the beetroot into wedges. Heat the oil and butter in a pan until the butter begins to foam, then add the beetroot. Cook without stirring for 2 minutes, then toss the beetroot in the butter and oil.
5. Add the honey and stir to coat the beetroot. Add the vinegar, nutmeg and seasoning, and cook for a couple of minutes, then stir in the spinach and pine nuts. Spoon some filling on to each pancake, finish with a dollop of crème fraîche and fold over. Serve with a little bowl of crème fraîche