Buckwheat Pancakes – New Ideas 2

I have recently returned from a super, short holiday in Gdańsk and in one restaurant I saw on the menu pierogi (Polish filled pasta) which had leeks, peas and soured cream as a filling –  I liked the idea of the sweetness of garden peas with leeks and thought  I could adapt this and use it as a filling with buckwheat pancakes.

Buckwheat Pancakes

Ingredients

• 75g buckwheat flour
• 25g plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 125ml of milk (full or semi-skimmed)
• 125ml of water
• 25g of  melted butter
• pinch of salt
• Some extra milk might be needed.

Method

• Beat the eggs and add then them first to the sifted flour.
• Add the milk mixture to the egg and flour mix until you have a batter the consistency of pouring cream.
• Mix the milk with the water
• Add the milk mixture to the egg and flour mix until you have a batter the consistency of pouring cream.
• Leave the batter to stand for at least 1 hour in which time it will thicken, then add a little more liquid.
• Use a special thin pan which you use just for pancakes, mine has a base diameter of 20 cm and is made of steel, once seasoned, just wipe it clean between uses with kitchen roll – never scour it or use detergent.
• Work out how much batter you need for a pancake and find a measure which will then give you a consistent amount – I use a small ladle which holds 45ml.
• Have a dish of melted butter or margarine and sunflower oil for frying so you can add just enough and tip some back if needed.
• Heat the pan – you want a high heat but not too much to burn the pancakes – you will find you have to keep adjusting the heat. (As I cook using gas this is easy to do).

• Using the ladle pour the mixture into the pan.
• Tilt the pan so that the mixture covers the surface completely and evenly.
• Cook the pancakes on one side and turn then over – you can make them up one by one or stack then up with a piece of greaseproof paper in between them. You can do this and leave then for later use.

Filling

• 3 leeks – chopped
• 100g frozen peas
• 2-3 tablespoons of butter
• 2 -3 tablespoons of soured cream

• Using a deep large frying pan with a lid (a glass one is best), melt the butter and gently cook the leeks to soften them but not brown.
• Add the frozen peas and cover with the lid and cook for a few minutes.
• Stir the mixture and add the soured cream.
• Place some of the mixture on a cooked pancake  in the centre and out to the sides – but not quite to the edge.
• Fold in two of the opposite sides and then roll up the pancake from the long end to make a long parcel.

Other Ways to use the Filling

The leek & pea mixture goes really well as a vegetable to serve with roast chicken.

Or heat some cooked chicken breast pieces with the leeks & peas.

I think some pasta would also be good with this, though have not yet tried this yet.