Catherine Fulvio

Cracked Black Pepper Strawberry Pancakes and an Orange  Ginger Cream

Serves 4

Strawberries and black pepper may seem a strange combination but that’s the amazing think about strawberries … they take flavour so well.  Another example is balsamic vinegar and strawberries – it’s delicious. This recipe is a wholesome dessert or brunch dish.  My son especially loves it, so it is his treat at weekends.

250g strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 tsp crushed black pepper

2 tbsp caster sugar

2 tbsp cointreau 

For the cream

120ml cream, lightly whipped

3 tbsp icing sugar

1 tbsp crystalised ginger, finely chopped

Zest of ½ orange 

For the pancakes

225g  plain flour

½ tsp ground ginger

1 level tsp baking powder

½  level tsp bread soda (baking soda)

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

1 egg

300 ml milk 

1. To prepare the strawberries, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and allow to macerate in the fridge for about half an hour.
2. In the meanwhile, combine the cream, icing sugar, orange zest and crystalised ginger in a bowl and allow to infuse for half an hour
3. To make the pancakes, sieve the plain flour, ground ginger, baking powder, and bread soda into a bowl. 
4. Combine the sugar and salt and add to the flour.  Make a well in the centre.  Whisk the egg with enough milk to make a stiff batter.  Allow the batter to stand for approximately 15 minutes. 
5. Brush a heavy frying pan with a little oil and heat.  Using a ladle, spoon the batter making circular shapes around the pan.  Cook until bubbles appear on the top which should take approximately 2 – 3 minutes. 
6. Turn the pancakes and cook for a further 2 – 3 minutes until they are lightly golden in colour.
7. Layer the pancakes and black pepper strawberries, spoon over the orange ginger cream, drizzle over the strawberry juices and serve immediately.

About Catherine

TV Chef / proprietor, food writer and cookery tutor, Catherine Fulvio, runs Ballyknocken Cookery School and Ballyknocken House.

Catherine, herself a Wicklow native, says she learnt her cooking skills from her mother and then trained professionally. Her naturally vivacious personality and pure infectious enthusiasm for food has led her to where she is today. Catherine and her team host a variety of classes offering mouth-watering dishes while at the same time they dispense helpful advice.

Catherine is highly acclaimed for her hands on, no- fuss style of cookery, using the freshest ingredients possible. She believes that cooking should fun and her easy approach together with recipes that encourage those who normally shy away from cookery is a winning combination. At the other end of the scale, she also runs her very popular entertaining and gourmet classes for her regular clientele. She has her own TV Series “Catherine’s Italian Kitchen” and is a regular on TV screens both at home and abroad. When Catherine is not busy in the kitchen she is busy researching new courses, menus and recipes to delight you with.