Pancake a la Amsterdam

A MEMORABLE meal in Amsterdam was a gluten free pancake...yes a SAVORY PANCAKE. My husband and I were told to have pancakes by our friends when we told them we were traveling to Amsterdam. Once we got there we researched gluten free pancake options and saw that the options were greater than we anticipated. Not only were there a few places from which to choose, but there were options for breakfast and lunch pancakes. Most restaurants serving pancakes were open until mid to late afternoon. We decided to go for a savory lunch pancake as that was something new for us!

Once we got to the restaurant we were amazed! The place was packed with people and the wait was 30-45 minutes. It was worth the wait!

The pancake texture was between an American version of a crepe and a pancake. I ordered a pancake with vegetables and pesto sauce and decided I needed to find a way to recreate at home so we could enjoy savory "Amsterdam Style" Pancakes.

I took a crepe recipe from Pamela's Products (Baking and Pancake Mix) and modified it until I achieved the desired texture.

Base Recipe I Devised:
1 1/3 cup Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix
1 egg at room temperature (I use free range eggs when possible)
1 cup Almond Milk

Additional Ingredients:
Oil (I used walnut oil)
Pesto Sauce
Basil
Shrimp
Vegetables - onion and zucchini (colored bell peppers work well also)

Preparation and Cooking Instructions:

• I used a mandolin to cut thin slices of onion and zucchini (fresh from the garden)
• I mixed the pancake, heated and oiled the pan, then added the pancake. Similar to cooking a crepe, I added the mix to the center of the pan and rotated the pan until and batter went almost to the edges. THEN I added the thin sliced vegetables to the pancake in a decorative pattern.
• I flipped the pancake when bubbled formed in the middle...about 3-5 minutes into the cooking process
• In a separate pan I sauteed shrimp and served the shrimp as a garnish (as a vegetarian was eating the meal with us). The shrimp could be precooked, diced, and added to the pancake if you wish. 
• Serve warm...the pesto sauce can be drizzled on the pancake or in a ramekin and used as a dipping sauce
• I garnished with fresh basil BUT it could be diced and also added to the pancake while cooking to layer the flavor.

There are numerous possibilities for the Pancake a la Amsterdam...as I experiment I will share them with you!