How cafe king Bill Granger inspired my cooking
While nothing quite compares to Bill’s sweet ricotta pancakes, here is a savoury interpretation, inspired by their fluffy perfection.
Bill Granger’s influence on my cooking is undeniable. From a teenager, flipping through my mother’s well-worn copy of Sydney Food, to now, where I often find myself pondering, “How would Bill approach this dish?”, his impact runs deep.
Bill, who died aged 54 in December, wrote books that were more than just collections of recipes; they were reflections of his life and the evolving food landscape in Australia. Though I never had the chance to meet Bill, I felt I knew him through his words and recipes, a connection I strive to replicate as a recipe writer. With an emphasis on simplicity, he empowered home cooks to let ingredients shine through with his approachable recipes. He understood what home cooking was all about.
My visits to Bills, the iconic café that redefined Sydney’s brunch culture, were always memorable. It was Bill’s fluffy ricotta hotcakes that made a lasting impression. In fact, these hotcakes developed a fame all of their own. During my first pregnancy, I constantly craved them. In those final weeks, as the reality of impending motherhood loomed, I’d treat myself to a pile, seeking solace in the comforting setting of his sunlit cafes. Try also my apple turnovers with lemon cream.
Today’s recipe pays homage to those brunches at Bills – and I hope to offer some inspiration ahead of Mother’s Day next weekend (or perhaps, at the very least, this serves as a printed note to my husband on what I’d like served in bed). While nothing quite compares to Bill’s sweet ricotta pancakes, here is a savoury interpretation, inspired by their fluffy perfection. I hope they do Bill proud.
Spinach & ricotta hotcakes with gravlax
Ingredients
- 150g frozen spinach
- 250g full-fat ricotta
- 125ml milk
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Zest of 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 3 eggs, separated
- ½ teaspoon salt and pinch of pepper
- ¾ cup (100g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 20g butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 slices of gravlax or smoked salmon
- Dill, to garnish
Dill creme fraiche
- 125g crème fraiche
- 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Thaw the frozen spinach and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Finely chop the spinach. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped spinach, ricotta, milk, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, lemon zest, chives, egg yolks, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add flour and baking powder to the batter, stirring swiftly to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. I like to use a stand mixer here, however you can whisk by hand if you’d prefer. Gently fold into your spinach and ricotta mixture.
- To make the dill crème fraiche, mix together the crème fraiche, chopped capers, dill, lemon zest and lemon juice in a small bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat butter and oil in a large frypan. Drop in large spoonfuls of batter – heaped dessertspoons are a good size. Cook pancakes for about 3 minutes until golden and puffed, then carefully flip them over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. I usually cook two at a time, but this depends on the size of your pan. You might need to add a bit more butter or oil to the pan as you go.
- Keep pancakes warm in a very low oven or by covering with foil whilst you work through the batter. Assemble the hotcakes by stacking them on individual plates.
- Top each stack with slices of gravlax and a generous dollop of the dill crème fraiche. Garnish with fresh dill, a squeeze of lemon and serve immediately.
Makes 12 pancakes