Marguerite Patten's Ginger Nut Pancakes

Marguerite Patten, mother of all ‘celebrity chefs' has just finished advising Jamie Oliver on his latest book and is now working with Ocado and giving advice on how to make your food go further. Marguerite Patten's Food To Go Further series of recipes can be downloaded at www.ocado.com. In the meantime, celebrate Shrove Tuesday with her special Ginger nut pancake recipe.

GINGER NUT PANCAKES

Ingredients
Batter:
50g/ 2oz gingernut biscuits, crushed
50g/2oz plain flour
2 eggs
250ml/ 8fl oz milk

For frying and topping:
Oil or fat
Caster sugar

Filling:
300ml/ ½ pint thick, sweetened apple puree
50g/ 2oz finely chopped crystallized ginger
50g/ 2oz coarsely chopped walnuts

Method
Blend together the ingredients for the batter.

Heat a very little oil or butter in a frying pan cooking the pancake on one side and flipping to cook the other. Continue like this until all the pancakes are cooked.

Keep the cooked pancakes hot on an uncovered dish in an over, set very low. Alternatively, place dish on top of a pan of hot water.

Meanwhile, heat the apple puree*, ginger and nuts.

Fill each pancake in turn with the mixture, roll and return to a heated dish.

Top pancakes with sprinkled sugar.


* TO MAKE THE APPLE PUREE

Ingredients
450g/ 1IB apples, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons water
25-50g/1-2oz sugar
25g/1oz butter (optional)

Method
Simmer the apples with the water, sugar and butter until a soft puree.

Sieve or liquidise if wished.