Homemade crispy pancakes coated in breadcrumbs and filled with a delicious minced beef filling is a nostalgia-fueled trip back to the 1980s!
They take around an hour to make in total, but you can do most of the prep work a day or two in advance, and once they are stuffed, they take around 10 minutes to cook.
Beef Mince Stuffed Pancakes
Quite a lot of my food is quite "serious", but I love playing around with childhood memories when cooking.
I've got dishes like corned beef hash and spam fritters, and naturally, toad in the hole makes an appearance too, bolt-on silly but delicious dishes like my fish finger pie it should be easy to tell roughly when I was growing up!
Growing up, Findus pancakes were a real treat and I loved them, what can I say, the 80s were a rough time for some. I even used to turn these things into a sandwich as a student, don't judge, we've all made "those" decisions!
When we returned to the UK, they were on the nostalgia list to revisit.
What can I say? They were awful! I'm not one to be beaten though, so I set out on a mission to create my own mince beef stuffed Krumpli crispy pancakes... they ain't awful, they'm properly delicious!
Like so many homemade versions of "processed" foods, these are a little time-consuming. However, much of the work can be done in advance.
There is a rich and thick minced beef filling loaded with Worcestershire sauce and a smidgen of Marmite.
They are wrapped in old-school British pancakes before being breaded and then fried until golden and majestic.
A dish guaranteed to give you nostalgic thrills if you are of a certain age!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to fry these pancakes?
No, but I think that it is the best way to cook them, they become beautifully golden and properly crispy.
It is possible to cook them in an air-fryer and a fan oven and get close, but they do tend to "open" up. They also do not crisp up as well.
To air-fry, spray the basket with oil, give them a spritz with a little more spray oil and cook at 200°C or 390°F for 15-18 minutes.
To cook them in the oven, place them on a baking grid, give them a spritz with oil, then bake at 220°C or 430°F for 17-20 minutes.
Do I have to add the Marmite?
No, but as I have mentioned in many of my recipes that feature a gravy, it adds a great deal. I pinky promise that it does not taste like Marmite, it adds a depth of flavour and a rich umami back note.
Which part of this dish can I prepare in advance?
You can prepare both the filling and the pancakes in advance.
The gravy will be fine in the fridge for a couple of days, and pancakes are reportedly fine in the fridge for up to a week.
Can I add different fillings?
Yes, knock yourself out, ham and cheese is old-school popular, and they would be awesome with a little leftover keema matar or the filling for my Hortobágyi palacsinta!
If you have requests, feel free to shout up. If I get a few of the same, I will likely take a punt at it.
Serving Suggestions
I've served my minced beef-filled crispy pancakes in these pictures with chips, peas and a simple gravy.
It's exactly how my Mom would have served this; the chips are my air fryer chips. I would have made my chip shop style chips if my fryer had been filled and ready for action.
I even used a store-bought gravy for the proper retro vibe. Although I did give it a bit more body with Marmite and Worcestershire sauce, and added some sheen with a little butter.
Mushy peas also make a great side for these stuffed pancakes, although I would probably go with ketchup rather than gravy if I were to serve them this way.
But you should knock yourself out; this is the retro food of your youth. If you want baked beans, add baked beans. You'd be wrong, but hey, who am I to judge?
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 28cm or 11" frying pan (not nonstick if possible).
- 30cm or 12" frying pan.
- Crepe pan.
- Mixing bowl and a mix of bowls and plates to breadcrumb the stuffed pancakes.
- Kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- Forks and spoons.
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring jug, cups and spoons.
- Pastry brush.
Minced Beef Filled Crispy Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
For the Minced Beef Filling:
- 250 g Minced Beef 9oz
- 1 Small Onion 100g
- 15 g Beef Dripping 1 tablespoon (or cooking oil)
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Puree
- 1 tablespoon Plain Flour
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Marmite
- 250 ml Beef Stock 1 Cup
- Salt if Required
For the Pancakes:
- 1 Egg
- 50 g Flour 5 Level Tablespoons
- 125 ml Milk ½ Cup
- Pinch of Salt
- Oil for Frying
And the Rest:
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tablespoon Flour
- 75 g Dried Fine Breadcrumbs ½ Cup
- Oil for Frying
Instructions
- Cut the onion in half, peel it and then dice it as finely as you can.
- Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan (not nonstick if possible) over a medium heat and add the beef dripping.
- Add the onion when the dripping has melted and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring regularly, you are looking for the onions to get a little colour and start to become golden, but be careful not to burn them.
- Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves, and when the onions are golden, throw them into the pan and cook for 1 minute.
- Turn the heat up to high and when everything begins to sizzle a little louder, add the beef and cook until it is nicely coloured, this should take around 3-4 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the tomato puree and flour, then cook, stirring constantly, for 30-60 seconds.
- Pour in the Worcestershire sauce, beef stock, and black pepper, then stir in the Marmite. Stir the filling, making sure that you scrape the base of the pan, have a taste of the gravy and add salt if required (it probably won't be). Cook for 10 minutes over a low heat; you want a nice thick beef filling. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the filling to cool completely. You can do this in advance if required.
- Crack the egg for the pancakes into a jug, add the salt and the flour, then mix with a fork until completely combined. Add the milk gradually (this avoids lumps), mixing with a fork as you go.
- Heat a 22cm or 9" crepe pan or frying pan over a high heat, add a drizzle of oil and enough of the pancake batter to form a thin pancake across the base of the pan. Cook for 45-60 seconds, flip and cook for a final 30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining batter; you only need two pancakes for this recipe, and the batter will make 3-4. Allow the pancakes to cool completely before proceeding; again, this can be done in advance.
- When the pancakes are cooked, use a small plate (20cm or 8") to cut them into perfect circles. This will remove the frilly thinner bit at the edges and make it easier to seal the stuffed pancakes.
- Beat the eggs to coat the pancakes in a shallow bowl, sprinkle a plate with the flour and a second plate with the breadcrumbs.
- Take one of the pancakes and brush 1-2cm of the edge of the pancake with a little of the beaten egg.
- Pile half of the beef mix in the centre of the pancake and then fold it over to form a half-circle shape, pushing out as much of the air as you can.
- Carefully take this pancake, lightly dredge it in the flour.
- Dip the dredged pancakes in the beaten egg.
- Drop the stuffed pancakes into the fine breadcrumbs and give them a light and even coating.
- Heat a 30cm or 12" nonstick frying pan over a medium-high heat with a 4-5mm (⅛-¼") layer of oil. When the oil is hot, add the pancakes and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve immediately.
