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French Dutch Babies
A Trio of Sweet and Savory Pascades Perfect for When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking
I remember the very first time I tried what we recognize as Dutch Babies. I was a small boy on our annual summer trip to the South of France. It always began in Marseille and eventually would end up at my grandfather’s auberge in Périgord. The highlight of the seven-hour drive in between was stopping in Rodez, a small city in Aveyron, for a buttery pascade. For the uninitiated, pascades are thick pancakes that are baked in a heavily buttered pan until golden brown and puffed up. They were a complete delight for a young gourmand with an adventurous appetite.
Pascade gets their name from the fact that they were traditionally made around Easter (Pâques) to use up eggs. In the old days, people ate them more simply than we do now. The pascades were laced with a few herbs baked into the batter. Nowadays they have become a vehicle for a range of savory and sweet fillings. I want to teach you three of my favorite variations: ham, egg, and cheddar; filled with a green salad and spoonfuls of pork rillette; and finally, a sweet one filled with the creamiest chocolate filling you have ever tried.
They are actually quite easy to make and can be enjoyed with just about any filling you can…
