
Spinach florentine pancakes
- Published: 28 Jan 25
- Updated: 28 Jan 25
Green eggs and ham in the form of a fancy pancake! The spinach and basil batter gives these parcels a fragrant flavour and charming bright-green hue. It’s finished off just like a florentine pizza with mozzarella, parma ham and an egg – and it’s just as wonderful.

Loved these? Try our crispy cheese and onion crepes, too.
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Makes 4
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Prep time 20 min, plus 20 min resting
Before you start
Be a better cook Don’t forget to let the batter rest for 20 minutes – this allows the proteins in the flour to hydrate fully, giving a softer pancake. But don’t prepare the batter too far in advance or you’ll be left with a more yellowy green rather than brilliant green pancake
Ingredients
- 250ml whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 20g baby leaf spinach, roughly chopped
- 20g basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 150g plain flour
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 2 tsp olive oil for frying
For the filling
- 125g mozzarella ball, torn
- 6 large eggs
- 12 slices parma ham
- Small basil leaves to garnish
Specialist kit
- You’ll need 2-3 large baking trays
Method
- Add the milk, eggs, spinach and basil to a large jug, then whizz until smooth using a stick blender. Add the flour and salt, then whizz again until smooth. Rest in the fridge for 20 minutes (see Be A Better Cook, above).
- Once the batter has rested, heat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan/gas 7 and put a large frying pan over a high heat, then add the oil. Swirl it around to ensure the pan base is fully covered, then pour about a sixth of the batter into the centre and swirl around quickly to get a thin, even layer. Cook for a minute or so, then flip using a palette knife or fish slice. Cook on the other side for 30 seconds, then transfer to a large oven tray. Repeat with the next pancake.
- Scatter one sixth of the mozzarella over each pancake, leaving a gap in the centre, then crack an egg into each gap. Drape 2 slices of ham around each egg white, then fold the 4 pancake sides over to create a square (like a galette). Carefully transfer to the oven and cook for a few minutes until the egg whites have firmed but the yolk remains runny. It’s best to bake 2 on a tray while continuing to make 2 more pancakes on another tray, like a conveyor belt. Serve with salt, pepper and little basil leaves to garnish.
- Recipe from February 2024 Issue
Nutrition
- Calories
- 271kcals
- Fat
- 17g (10g saturated)
- Protein
- 15g
- Carbohydrates
- 14g (2.8g sugars)
- Fibre
- 0.8g
- Salt
- 0.8g
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