Whole Wheat Dutch Baby with Sauteed Spring Vegetables and Lemon-Herb Ricotta

We're proud to have this recipe for a savory and seasonal Dutch baby from a sister publication to the North East, Edible Rhody. They offer that "the batter can be made up to a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator with no impact on its puffing potential."

May 27, 2020

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 4 Serving(s)

Dutch Baby

6 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat or preferred whole grain flour
2 tablespoons mixed chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, thyme, chervil, marjoram, chives, etc., divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Spring Vegetables

2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1/2 - 3/4 pound asparagus, woody stems trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas

Lemon-herb ricotta

1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, thyme, chervil, marjoram, chives, etc.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
chili flakes, optional
flaky sea salt, to garnish

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450F. In large bowl, beat eggs and milk. To prepare Dutch baby, add flours, 1 tablespoon herbs, salt, and pepper and whisk until well combined. Let batter rest.

2. Melt butter in cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. It will foam and sizzle and then foam will subside. (Keep a close eye here; the minute you look away it will burn, turn acrid, and break your heart.) Swirl skillet occasionally until brown flecks appear and butter smells nutty, 3 - 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

3. Pour batter into skillet with brown butter and place directly into hot oven. Bake 20 minutes. Resist the urge to open oven until timer buzzes. Do not peek! Your Dutch baby needs some privacy for magic to happen.

4. Meanwhile, prepare vegetables. Heat separate skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil or butter to coat. Saute asparagus until tender-crisp, approximately 4 - 5 minutes. Add peas and cook through, an additional 1 - 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. As vegetables saute, prepare ricotta. Add all ingredients to small bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes to taste and set aside.

6. When oven timer buzzes, peek at your Dutch baby. It will have puffed gloriously. (If you prefer a custardy center, take it out of oven now. If you prefer a more solid center, continue to bake 3 - 5 additional minutes.) Working quickly, remove skillet from oven. Spoon sauteed vegetables in center of the puff. Dollop ricotta on top and sprinkle with remaining herbs and flaky sea salt. Slice into wedges and serve with a green salad.