Savoury Ricotta Pesto Crepes/Pancakes

Delicious crepes/pancakes filled with creamy ricotta cheese whipped together as pesto with the crunch of toasted almonds and pine nuts. The perfect brunch, lunch or light supper dish.

The inspiration

It’s Shrove Tuesday (pancake day) tomorrow so a good excuse to make crepes.

Filling these delicious crepes with pesto is a must as I just love pesto in all its forms.

You just need to check out my book A Passion For Pesto where you will find over 75 different types of pestos from herbal to veggie, weedy and even fruity pestos. And lots of recipes for how to use them.

The pesto part

Instead of making a plain pancake and stuffing some pesto in there which I honestly feel would be a little harsh on the taste-buds, I have made a special sauce type pesto.

I’ve used Ricotta cheese instead of the normal parmesan or other hard grated cheese. This melts on the crepe and tastes delicious and creamy.

How many does this pancake recipe serve?

I’ve made just two crepes here which would be enough for two people as a small starter with a side salad, or for one person with salad as a main course.

Ingredients for pesto filled crepes

50g/2oz plain flour (all-purpose flour), an egg, milk and seasoning. That’s it for the actual pancake part of the recipe.

Pesto filling

As I said I’ve gone for a creamy ricotta cheese to make my pesto filling for these pancakes. Check out my how to make ricotta cheese (+Video!)

All you need for this is garlic, ricotta cheese, some toasted pine nuts and almonds, juice and zest of half a lemon to really freshen things up. And of course, those all-important basil leaves that no self-respecting pesto would be without.

Going nuts!

Can you use other nuts in pesto?

You don’t have to use a mix of almonds and pine nuts in this pesto recipe. Just pine nuts on their own or just almonds is fine.

I would avoiid using strongly flavoured nuts like walnuts as they would overpower this pesto pancake recipe.

Sift the flour into a bowl and break the egg into the centre. Now whisk the egg into the flour and add the milk a little at a time as you whisk. You want a batter that is smooth like thick cream.

Heat half the butter in a pan and pour in half of the batter. Spread around the pan and let it cook for almost 1 minute. Flip the pancake and spread with half of the pesto mixture.

Fold or roll the pancake and tip it onto a plate. Now repeat this procedure to make the other pesto pancake.

The creamy pesto filling

Toast the pine nuts and almonds (or simply use one or other of the nuts) in a dry pan till they are golden and release their scent.

Whizz 3/4 of the nuts in food processor along with the minced garlic, lemon zest and juice. Add the basil leaves reserving a few for decoration. Stir in the ricotta cheese till well blended.

Why toast the nuts?

I always toast any nuts I am using for pesto (and lots of other recipes too). Toasting nuts first brings out their amazing flavours. Just put them in a dry pan over a medium heat and cook for about 1 minute. Watch them like a hawk as they can easily burn.

As soon as they are golden and smell gorgeously aromatic tip them out of the hot pan on to a plate. If you leave them in the pan the residual heat will continue cooking them and the nuts will burn.

Hey Pesto you have just made your Pesto Pancakes!

Looking for more fun and easy pancake recipes? Then check these out before you go;

Spinach and feta chickpea pancakes (socca)

Scotch pancakes (aka drop scones) + video

Buckwheat pancakes with smoked salmon

Blueberry and banana crepes

Simple Scottish porridge pancakes

Crepe stack pancake cake

Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.