Savory Pea and Ham Clafoutis

This is out of another little French cookbook.

I’ve been getting them at the DIY stores.  Whoever came up with this idea is brilliant.

As I’m standing in line, with mon mari and his trolley full of who knows what, he runs off to find whatever he forgot, and I’m bored. I can’t leave the line and go look at wallpaper or cute little electrical fixtures because, as previously stated, he has already left at least once.  I must hold the sacred place in line.

It’s my duty.

My eye wanders to a display of little cookbooks.  They’re all specialty books of 50 or so pages. There’s one on salads, one on muffins, one on soups, one on verrines, one on ‘little bites’, one on wraps (yes, even in France), one on chocolate, and so on….  Probably 25 – 35 different books.

They’re not cheap, but not really expensive either – under 5.00 per book.

The problem is they’re like Lay’s Potato Chips – no one can take just one.

I have a few collected over the months – and have posted some recipes.  The Hachis Flamand à la Moutarde came from the book on Gratins.

This one came from the book in Cocottes.

Cocottes are little, single serving, covered baking dishes.  Also cute, also reasonably priced, also difficult to stop at just two…. Or four…..

It’s fun making little things, but it can be a challenge to reduce a traditional recipe, particularly one involving eggs.

That’s how I justified the cookbook.

We had these Clafoutis as a first course, but they could easily be modified for breakfast.Savory Pea and Ham Clafoutis

1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) peas, frozen, no sauce
2 thin slices Prosciutto, Bayonne or other dry-cured ham
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup crème fraîche
olive oil 

Rinse peas and drain well.  No need to thaw, but they should be mostly dry.  Roughly chop ham. Whisk egg, milk and crème fraîche. Add flour and lightly whisk, just enough to combine.  Whisking too well (to get the lumps out) will make the batter tough.

Lightly oil 2 cocottes or ramekins.  Divide peas and ham, place in the bottom.  Spoon batter over the top and bake, 400F (200C) 20 – 25 minutes.
Remove and serve from dishes. 

This one was fun, too: Rainbow Vegetables en Cocottes