Shropshire Fidget Pancakes topped with Shropshire Blue Cheese

It's pancake day today and as we are in Shropshire I wanted to find a meal that ticked the local recipes box but also worked well with pancakes. Shropshire Fidget Pie was heading for extinction until The Hairy Bikers rode into Ludlow and revived the recipe, and the creamy, porky, appley filling lends itself perfectly to a savoury yet sweet pancake. Topped with Shropshire blue cheese it cant be more Shroppy!

 

Ingredients:

For the Pancakes:
Flour - 12 tablespoons
Eggs - 2
Milk - 300ml
Butter for frying

For the Fidget:
Cooked ham, chopped into bite size chunks, about 250g
2x Apples, peeled and diced
1x Large onion, halved and finely sliced
1/2 Bottle of dry cider (250ml)
125ml Double cream
2x Big potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite size chunks
1tsp English mustard
Sugar or honey
Sage leaves
Shropshire blue cheese, we used Peakdale
Bread crumbs


Method:

For the Pancakes:
1. Whizz up all the pancake mix with a hand-blender or beat together with a whisk until smooth.
2. Get a frying pan on medium heat and when hot chuck in a knob of butter, coat the pan then pour in a pancake.
3. Cook for about 30 seconds then flip with a fish slice. You can toss them in a caravan but be careful of those low ceilings! Make as many pancakes as you need and set aside stacked on a plate.

For the Fidget:
1. Put the potatoes in a saucepan with seasoned water and bring to the boil.
2. When the water reaches boiling point add the sliced onions. Boil for 5 minutes.
3. Drain the water from the spuds and onions then add the cider, cream, mustard, ham and apples.
4. Finely chop about 12 sage leaves and add to the pan. Heat gently until the potatoes and apples are done.
4. Season with salt and pepper and sweeten to your taste with honey or a pinch of sugar.

To Serve:
Simply get a pancake and fill it with fidget mixture and roll it all up. Leave some of the sauce for later. Top with grated Shropshire blue cheese and breadcrumbs and pop under the grill until the cheese is all bubbly melty and the breadcrumbs toasted. Plate up with some more of the creamy sauce saved earlier. You can enjoy as they or serve with some greens, we dished up with asparagus and topped with fried sage leaves.