Chestnut pancakes with ham and egg
Every bite of a chestnut pancake is like a taste of France and French culture, although I don't see it often on a menu next to crêpes or Galette Bretonne. Usually, it is one or the other. Crepes made with eggs, butter, milk and sugar. Or galettes, made with buckwheat flour, water and salt. And some eggs or cider, time to time.
Yet, since I came across chestnut flour more than 15 years ago, I have been obsessed with its dense texture and natural sweetness, which I discovered when I made a chestnut cake for my husband 15 years ago. I have never made that cake again, yet, during this time, I have taught people to eat chestnuts — with butter, salt, and a glass of creamy Chablis. And, instead of that cake, I make these gluten-free breakfast pancakes.
200 g chestnut flour
pinch of a sea salt
3 medium eggs
250 ml full-fat milk
125 ml water
35 g butter, melted
filling:
4 slices of boiled ham (jambon cuit)
40 g cheese, grated (Comté, Gruyère, Beaufort)
4 medium eggs
20 g butter
In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well, put the eggs and 1/3 of the milk in and whisk together. When mixed, add rest of the milk and mix. Add water and mix until the batter is uniform. Add the butter and mix. Let the batter sit in the fridge for 1 h.
Heat the pan. Pour a ladle of batter and swirl around the pan. Cook the pancake for 30‒45 seconds on one side until the edges are brown and are lifting off the pan. Flip and cook for another few seconds. Put the pancake on a plate. Continue cooking until the batter is gone. Serve them right away.
Heat the oven to 200°C. When all the pancakes are ready to fill with ham, place them on baking paper (or, if you have them, separate pans). Place ham and cheese in the middle, making a mound in the center. Add the egg and fold the sides over. Place in the oven and bake on the upper level until ready (I like them medium soft). Take out and serve right away, placing a pat of butter on top if you want. You can sprinkle with some Espelette pepper, too, for a contrast.
