I am off to France and Switzerland for a couple of weeks, so thought I should leave behind a French recipe! This makes a lovely breakfast, or even a light lunch or dinner with a green salad. The baked-in-a-skillet pancake puffs up in the center as it bakes, but then settles down as it cools; and tastes like a crustless quiche.
The wonderful Once Upon A Chef blogger Jennifer Segal was inspired to create this after tweaking a recipe in the cook book “Tasting Paris: 100 Recipes to Eat Like A Local” by Clotilde Dusoulier. Jennifer has a new cook book out of her own which I’m sure is worth a look. Bon Apetit!
3 large eggs
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
Heaping 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 cup flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off
1 1/4 cups whole milk
2/3 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh chives
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
5 slices (4 oz.) thinly sliced ham, finely diced
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and set an oven rack in the middle position.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk in the flour. Gradually add the milk, whisking until the batter is smooth. Stir in the cheese and chives.
Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron or non-stick ovenproof pan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and swirl the butter around. Sprinkle the ham evenly around the pan. Pour the batter over the pan, then use a fork to be sure the ham is evenly distributed. Carefully transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes. It will appear puffed straight out of the oven, but will quickly collapse. Cut the pancake into thin wedges and serve. (Remember the pan is hot; I usually place a dishtowel or oven mitt over the handle as a reminder.)
The pancake is best served fresh out of the oven. However, leftover slices can be heated in the microwave. Note: Unlike a Dutch Baby where the edges of the pancake will remain puffy after coming out of the oven, this pancake should puff up a bit in the oven to about 1 1/2 inches high all over; then settle down to about 1/2 inch high as it cools.
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