050 / 75 · A Little Meat or Fish

Tuna and White Bean Stuffed Pancakes

8 filled savory pancakes; 2 pancakes per serving · Active 35 min · Total 50 min

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Thin homemade pancakes wrap a thick filling of tuna, white beans and onion in a simple milk sauce. The beans help make the filling substantial without a large amount of fish. Pancake batter rests while the sauce is made, then the pancakes are cooked one by one. Serve two filled pancakes per person, with the ends open enough to show what is inside.

Jump to ingredients

Thin savory pancakes filled with creamy tuna, white beans and onion.

Rest the batter while making the filling

Whisk the flour and eggs with part of the milk first to make a thick smooth paste, then thin it with the rest. This is easier than trying to chase dry lumps around a full bowl of liquid. A short rest lets the flour hydrate. During that wait, cook the onion and sauce so the filling can remain hot on a low heat while the pancakes are made. Mash a small portion of the beans to give the sauce body; keep the rest whole so the filling has more than one texture.

Thin pancakes need a manageable pan

A small nonstick skillet gives consistent pancakes without needing specialist crepe equipment. Brush it lightly with the measured oil and tilt it as the batter goes in. The first pancake helps establish the heat: its surface should set before the underside becomes dark. Turn once and cook through, with no wet batter line left inside. Divide the filling before rolling so every pancake receives tuna as well as beans. Leave the ends slightly open rather than forcing a very thick parcel, and place each seam down so it stays closed on the plate.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 g), for the pancakes
  • 2 large eggs (100 g without shells)
  • 1 1/4 cups milk (300 ml), for the pancakes
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil (15 ml), for brushing the pancake pan
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g), divided
  • 1 tablespoon butter (14 g)
  • 1 small onion (100 g), finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16 g), for the filling
  • 1 cup milk (240 ml), for the filling
  • 2 cans tuna, 5 oz/142 g each, drained (about 220 g drained total)
  • 1 can white beans, 15 oz/425 g, drained and rinsed (240 g drained)
  • 2 teaspoons prepared mustard (10 g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (0.5 g)

Set out

8-inch/20 cm nonstick skillet, Medium saucepan, Mixing bowl, Whisk, Ladle or measuring cup, Food thermometer

Allergens

Egg, Fish, Milk, Wheat. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Whisk pancake flour, eggs, half the salt and 100 ml of the pancake milk into a smooth paste. Gradually whisk in the remaining 200 ml pancake milk. Rest for 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile melt butter in the saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook onion for 6–7 minutes. Stir in the filling flour for 1 minute, gradually add the filling milk and simmer for 3–4 minutes until thick.
  3. Mash about one-quarter of the beans. Stir all beans, tuna, mustard, pepper and remaining salt into the sauce. Heat gently for 4–5 minutes until the filling reaches 165°F/74°C. Keep hot on low heat, stirring occasionally.
  4. Heat the skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with part of the measured oil. Pour in about 1/4 cup/60 ml batter, tilt to cover the base and cook for 60–90 seconds until set on top and lightly golden below. Turn and cook for 30–45 seconds more, until cooked through with no wet batter. Make 8 pancakes, using the measured oil across the batch.
  5. Divide filling into 8 portions. Spoon one along the center of each pancake, roll loosely and put seam down. Serve two per person.

Use the whole measured filling

Divide the beans and fish evenly between all eight pancakes. A little filling in every pancake is more useful than leaving the first ones overflowing and the last ones nearly empty.

Ingredient labels

Mustard is present; check canned fish and bean labels.

A useful detail

The 50-minute total overlaps the batter rest with sauce cooking. If using one pan sequentially rather than a skillet and saucepan, allow another 15 minutes.

Another way

  • Replace tuna with the same drained weight of canned salmon; remove any large bones or skin if preferred before weighing the fish.
  • Replace 120 g of the white beans with 120 g cooked peas, heated fully, while keeping the remaining beans to thicken the filling.

Keep it well

Cool filled pancakes in a single layer within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. Cover and refrigerate at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat covered to 165°F/74°C in the filling. Freeze cooled portions for up to 1 month; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.