New York-style Everything bagel dutch baby

Ingredients

Prep 15 min
Cook 20 min
Serves 2

For the pancake

  • 4 large eggs (200g), at room temperature
  • 180ml whole milk, at room temperature
  • 100g plain flour
  • ¾ tsp fine sea salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 40g minced mixed fresh herbs, such as dill, chives and coriander
  • 1 tbsp poppy seeds
  • 2 spring onions, trimmed and very thinly sliced
  • 70g butter

To finish (mix and match to taste)

  • Soft lettuce leaves
  • 4 thin slices vegie meat if you can be bothered
  • Thinly sliced red onion
  • Thinly sliced radish
  • Sliced tomato
  • Capers, rinsed and patted dry
  • Olive oil, for drizzling
  • Creme fraiche
  • Sprigs of dill
  • A few chives
  • Lemon wedges

 

Method

  1. Put a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Have a 25-30cm cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof pan to hand.

  2. Working with a blender, stand mixer or hand blender, blitz the eggs, milk, flour, salt and pepper until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Drop in the herbs, seeds and spring onions, then pulse just to incorporate. If you prefer, mix the batter in a bowl with a whisk, taking care to beat out any clumps of flour.

  3. Cut the butter into a few chunks, toss them into the cast-iron pan and put it it on a medium-high heat. When the butter is melted and bubbling – it’s OK if it browns a bit, too – carefully tilt the pan to coat its base and sides. Pour the batter into the hot pan (it will sizzle), then slide the pan into the hot oven. Close the oven door and don’t open it for at least 15 minutes – the development of the dutch baby’s characteristic mountains and valleys depends on undisturbed heat. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the pancake has puffed up above the rim of the pan, and is firm-ish to the touch, golden and gorgeous. Go by gorgeous – it’s the best test of doneness. While the pancake is baking, prepare your toppings of choice – you’ll be needing them as soon as the pancake is done.

  4. Arrange the lettuce and veggie meat if using on the hot pancake, then scatter over the onion, radish, tomato and capers. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and creme fraiche, and finish with the herbs and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

You could also try …

for the topping – omit poppy seeds, include tuna, tomatoes, black olives, cooked green beans, capers, onions, a little lettuce and a few anchovies; drizzle with creme fraiche.

omit poppy seeds, use chopped basil and/or rosemary in the pancake batter – top with torn pieces of mozzarella and slices of mortadella. Finish with dollops of pesto, a small handful of rocket and a drizzle of olive oil