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Ham & Cheese Oven-Puffed Pancake
The inspiration for this ham and cheese oven-puffed pancake comes from my latest cookbook crush, Tasting Paris: 100 Recipes To Eat Like A Local by Clotilde Dusoulier. Clotilde is the lovely voice behind the Paris-based cooking blog Chocolate & Zucchini, and also the author of several cookbooks. I spent a lot of time in Paris in my early twenties, both as a student and an au pair, so the recipes and photos in this book have me wistfully longing to go back in time. (Wouldn’t that be nice to do, just for a bit?) In France, an oven-puffed pancake is called a pascade. Clotilde writes, “If ever a dish was more than the sum of its parts, this is it. The simple batter cooks up to an astonishing texture, halfway between a crepe and a soufflé, crisp on the outside and comfortingly tender inside. Think of it as the French cousin to the Dutch baby…[it’s] a natural fit for brunch, but I like it better in the early evening, served with sparkling wine.” I took Clotilde’s basic recipe and — keeping with the French theme — added a spoonful of Dijon, some chopped ham, grated Gruyere, and chives to make it a bit more substantial. So you can serve this version as a light dinner with mixed greens, too.
To begin, combine the eggs, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Whisk well to combine, then whisk in the flour.
Gradually add the milk, whisking until the batter is smooth.
Add the cheese and chives.
Mix well.
Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron or nonstick 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 ham, then use a fork to be sure the ham is evenly distributed.
Carefully transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
It will appear puffed straight out of the oven, but will quickly collapse. Cut the pancake into thin wedges and serve.
Ham & Cheese Oven-Puffed Pancake
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into a measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1-1/4 cups whole milk (or substitute 1/4 cup heavy cream + 1 cup skim milk)
- 2/3 cup grated Gruyere cheese
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 slices (4 oz) thinly sliced ham, finely diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F 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 nonstick 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 ham, 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 that 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 reheated 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 1½ inches high all over, then settle to about ½ inch high as it cools.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 430
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Sodium: 610 mg
- Cholesterol: 210 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Reviews & Comments
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Jenn,
Bravo this was absolutely delicious! We enjoyed this for dinner with a side of steamed veggies. It was easy with the use of one bowl to mix everything and it was sorta like a quiche without having to make or buy the crust. The kids and adults all raved about it. Can’t wait to make this again.
So good! The recipe is great as is – my kids and husband all loved it. Will make it again!
Just letting you know that somehow this recipe ended up in the “Vegetarian” section of the website. I do wish ham was vegetarian, though! 🙂
Oops! Thank you. 🙂
Instead of whole milk can I use 2% like I do when I make a Dutch baby pancake? If so, should I reduce the amount of milk since it’s thinner or leave the same measurements?
Hi Colleen, although I think it’s better with whole milk, you can get away with using 2%. No need to change the amount. Hope you enjoy it!
This was absolutely delicious! We served it with scones and fruit for breakfast. Loved it!
We thoroughly enjoyed this dish! It was perfect for a quick dinner that was light and delicious. We served it with sparkling wine as Jenn suggested as well. Thanks so much, Jenn, for your inspiring recipes!
We try to incorporate at least one recipe per week from you.
Excellent….for a quick dinner with a salad!
On the rotation for sure.
Jen,
I made it, looked great, but it tasted doughy (like uncooked cookie dough). The top was brown. I cooked it for 25 minutes. I used all-purpose flour. I really want to fix this, as I want to take this dish to parties.
Hi Melvina, The texture of this should be somewhere between a pancake and a souffle (as opposed to a frittata). It definitely shouldn’t have the texture of raw cookie dough, though. Did you make any adjustments to the recipe?
Third time I’ve made it, tasty and easy!
This time left out the ham,cheese, mustard & chives. Added a ripe banana and cinnamon to the batter, sliced banana and walnut pieces on top of batter in the pan..try it, you’ll like it!
very good and easy to make!
This was abso-freaking-luetly delicious and so easy. I have a 12-in pan, so I added an extra egg. I left out the mustard because I didn’t have any, and sprinkled in a little garlic. Maybe I’ll use more salt next time. SO GOOD.
This was so beautiful and delicious yet so easy and quick. So French, my house smelled like a boulangerie while it was cooking. Another great one, Jen!
Just delicious, it was a really nice light consistency between a cheese soufflé or a flan. Not enough swiss cheese so added asagio, very good.Will make again. Thanks Jenn!
Has anyone tried this with gluten free flour? Any advice?
It should not change anything, gluten free flour is well adapted for almost anything now. I would try with no hesitation.
I made this for a Sunday night supper and will be adding to another one of my Jen favorites! Served with a small fresh herb salad and asparagus. YUM!!
This was delicious and so easy! We plan to make this often.
Simply Fantastic! I used fontina instead, it worked well;)
Jenn, what wine would you serve with this? Thanks!
Hi Emily, a sparkling wine would work nicely here; I think it would be delicious with a fruity sauvignon blanc or chardonnay. Hope you enjoy!
Hi, I’d love to try this recipe but I don’t have an oven safe pan. Can I use an ordinary ceramic baking dish or does it work best in a metal dish? Also, is the same quantity of strong cheddar an acceptable substitute for the gruyère (can’t find kosher gruyère where I live) – I’d be leaving out the ham as well? Thank you!
Hi Lynnsey, A ceramic baking dish is be fine to use, as is the strong cheddar. The ham adds a lot of flavor, so you might increase the mustard and chives to 1.5 tablespoons each. Please lmk how it turns out!
I made it in a large Pyrex pie dish and it worked well. I heated the dish in the hot oven then let the butter melt in the hot pan. The ham pieces sizzled and got almost crispy as I added the batter. It was magical.
Used some ‘basic’ swiss cheese, shallots instead of chives and it was delicious and easy. Mine crept up the sides of the pan like a Yorkshire pudding. Can’t wait to make it again and try some other ingredients. Thanks!
AMAZING! No other words do describe. We did eat the left overs for lunch today, still great. I didn’t add chives but had some roasted asparagus to use up. Otherwise I followed to a T. Thank you Jennifer!
Hi Jen,
Question… can I make the mixture a day ahead, refrigerate and make the next day? Also, could I double the recipe and still use the same size cast iron pan? If so, how long should I cook it?
Thanks!! Love all your recipes!
Hi Kristan, I think it’s fine to make a day ahead and refrigerate but if you’re going to double it, I’d use two pans (if you only have one pan, you can also use a baking dish). Glad you like the recipes! 🙂
This was outstanding! I haven’t made anything quite like it before. Quick to throw together and absolutely more than the sum of its parts.
Jen, this looks amazing! We don’t eat pork so I was thinking of adding turkey bacon instead of just leaving the meat out entirely. Would I need to add anything to make up for the lack of meat? Thanks, looking forward to making this!
Hi Elizabeth, I think turkey bacon would be great without any other changes. Lmk how it turns out. 🙂
Hi Jenn,
I’m eating this as I type. Made the French Carrot Salad for a side, one of my favorite recipes. The puff is delicious, but I have a question, what is the texture supposed to be like? I have a new oven and did convection for 25 minutes. It browned up nicely. I was expecting a frittata texture, but this was lighter and one bite had a bit of flour taste like it was possibly uncooked. I’m asking because I want to make sure the oven is calibrated to the correct temperature. Thanks!
Hi Kerrie, The texture is more like a cross between a pancake and a soufflé than a frittata, if that makes sense. I would try it without the fan next time; sounds like it may have actually been a bit overcooked.
Which French Carrot Salad, I see two in Jenn’s repertoire? Thanks!
Oh. My. God. Thank you for this recipe! I wish I had found it a long time ago. My husband and I made this tonight and we will be adding this to our favorites!
This was SO good and so easy to make! I didn’t have gruyere, ham, or chives on hand but had cheddar cheese, salami, and scallions and it still turned out great. The crust and texture of the whole pancake was perfect. Just to add on, your recipes are honestly the best- had a dinner party last night and made your hummus, Herbed Cottage Cheese Spread, and secret ingredient cookies and we were cleaned out (6 people, 22 cookies..impressive). Thank you for all of the great recipes, can’t wait for the cookbook!
Do you think this would taste okay the next day, or should it be eaten immediately?
It’s definitely best eaten immediately. Hope you enjoy it if you try it!
Can I use a different type of cheese?
Sure, Arlene – Any strongly flavored cheese will work well. I’d love to know how it turns out!
I too lived in France so was excited to try this. Made it last night and served with a salad and warm baguette. It was wonderful, and we felt like we were dining in a cozy French bistro. Love your recipes, Jenn!
Tremendous. I used country ham and followed your instructions exactly. And it turned out just as you said it would. I’m going to try half whole wheat flour next time around.