Spinach, pea and Parmesan pancakes

Onion squash has a delicious sweetness that is enhanced through roasting.

PREPARATION TIME 35 minutes, plus resting

COOKING TIME about 50 minutes

SERVES 2

25g butter, plus extra for cooking pancakes

60g spinach, washed and dried 100ml milk

100g boiled or steamed peas 6 large mint leaves

200g self-raising flour

1tsp baking powder

3 eggs

100g Parmesan cheese, grated FOR THE ROASTED SQUASH 1 small onion squash 2tbsp olive oil

Zest 1 lemon

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER PURÉE ½ small cauliflower

1 garlic clove

1tbsp cream cheese

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg FOR THE PESTO

1 good handful each basil and parsley

2 garlic cloves

50g pine nuts

120ml olive oil, plus extra for storing

50g Parmesan cheese, grated TO SERVE

2 poached eggs

Rocket leaves Parmesan shavings

1 First, make pesto. Put herbs, garlic and half the pine nuts into the bowl of a food processor and blitz until combined and smooth (you can also use a stick blender). While processor is still running, pour in olive oil in a steady stream. Transfer pesto to a bowl and fold in remaining pine nuts and the Parmesan. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Store pesto in a jar in fridge, topped with a layer of olive oil to seal, for up to 5 days. 2 Next, prepare onion squash. Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5. Slice squash in half and scoop out seeds, then cut into 2.5cm thick slices. Put slices in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Add lemon zest and seasoning and mix it all together, massaging into squash. Transfer slices to a roasting dish and roast in oven for 25min until soft and caramelising at edges.

3 While squash is cooking, prepare cauliflower purée. Cut cauliflower in half. Cut out core and discard, then break into large florets. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add florets and garlic. Cook for around 15min until tender.

4 Drain and transfer cauliflower and garlic to a food processor. Add cream cheese, a pinch of grated nutmeg and salt and black pepper to taste, and blitz until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a small pan so you can warm it gently before serving.

5 Now prepare pancakes. Start by melting butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Transfer cooked spinach to a mixing bowl and add milk, half the peas and the mint leaves. Purée everything together using a stick blender until smooth. Add the rest of the peas and roughly blitz for another few sec so the peas are roughly chopped but there is still some texture in the batter.

6 Add flour, baking powder, eggs and Parmesan to mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until evenly combined. Don’t worry if there are still a few lumps. Let it rest for 10min.

7 Melt a knob of butter in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Spoon 3tbsp of batter per pancake into pan. Depending on the size of your pan, you should be able to cook 2-3 pancakes in one go. Cook for 3-4min on each side until golden green-brown. Repeat until you have 6 pancakes, adding a little more butter to pan when needed.

8 Warm cauliflower purée gently in pan and spread 3tbsp on each plate. Layer with a stack of three pancakes, a couple of slices of roast squash and a poached egg. Garnish with a few rocket leaves and some Parmesan shavings. Finish off with a good drizzle of pesto and serve.