As an exam assignment for the subject of herb preparations, we had to make a snack with (un)herbs. Phew! So many ideas flashed through my head! So much to choose from. That it had to include flowers was immediately a foregone conclusion, Mirabella is a fan of flowers :).
After much deliberation, it became a simple pancake cake: just bake a lot of pancakes, stack them neatly, done. But a few foils were allowed, and (un)herbs of course.
The recipe is a fairly basic recipe with plenty of room for substitutions.
Ingredients
(for 4 people as a main course, for more people as an aperitif snack)
For the pancakes:
– 1 liter of milk (or unsweetened vegetable milk)
– 325 grams of flour
– 1 tsp baking powder
– a dash of olive oil
– pinch of salt
– 2 handfuls of finely chopped herbs (e.g. nettle, dandelion leaf, orache, chickweed, parsley, spinach, basil, etc.)
-olive oil (for frying)
For the filling:
– 2 tubs of soft goat cheese (or choose a vegan spread, or make a cashew nut dip)
– 2 handfuls of finely chopped (aromatic) herbs (e.g. lemon balm, basil, chives, garlic mustard, wild garlic, dead nettle, wood sorrel, nasturtium, dill, coriander, field cress, mint, etc.)
– juice of 1/2 lemon
– salt and pepper to taste
For the finishing:
flowers: depending on the season, choose different colours (for example: white and red clover, borage flowers, dandelions (without the green), daisies, cornflower (without the green), purple and white deadnettle, ...)
Method
Mix all the ingredients for the pancakes together, let the dough rest for a while, and bake the pancakes.
Mix the ingredients for the filling together.
Place a pancake on a plate, spread the filling on it, place another pancake on top, spread, place another pancake on top, etc.
If you have any filling left, you can decorate the top pancake with 'tufts' of filling. Finish with the flowers.
Serve with a salad.
Variations
Well one hundred thousand possibilities!
How about a sweet version with jam, with or without (vegan) cream and fresh raspberries and blackberries: hmmmmmm!