Savory oat and zucchini pancakes

Name: Savory oat and zucchini pancakes
Total time: 25 min
Yield: About 10 small pancakes
Ingredients: 60 g (⅔ cup) plain rolled or quick oats; 1 small zucchini (courgette); 2 eggs; 4 tbsp water, breast milk or formula; 2 tbsp finely grated hard cheese; 1–2 tsp vegetable or olive oil

Soft savory pancakes of blended oats, egg and finely grated zucchini (courgette), with no salt. Offer them once your baby has had egg (and oats) on their own without a reaction.

Savory oat and zucchini pancakes in a bowl

From: 6 months
Time: 25 min
Makes: About 10 small pancakes

Contains eggOptional extra contains milk

Ingredients

60 g (⅔ cup)plain rolled or quick oatsno added sugar or salt
1 smallzucchini (courgette)about 120 g (4 oz)
2eggs
4 tbspwater, breast milk or formula
2 tbspfinely grated hard cheeseoptional. Pasteurized and lower in salt, such as Swiss. Add it only once your baby has had dairy on its own. First time? Pick a day your baby is well, at home, when you can watch them for a couple of hours afterward
1–2 tspvegetable or olive oilfor the pan

Steps

1Wash your hands. Rinse the zucchini under running water, rubbing the skin gently, and trim off both ends.
2Blend the oats until they look like fine flour, so there are no dry flakes left.
3Grate the zucchini finely. Wrap it in a clean tea towel and squeeze out as much water as you can, so the pancakes cook through instead of steaming.
4Whisk the eggs with the water, breast milk or formula, then stir in the blended oats, the zucchini and the cheese, if using. Leave it for 5 minutes to thicken. Don't add salt. The batter contains raw egg, so don't let your baby taste or lick it, and wash your hands, the bowl, utensils and work surface with hot, soapy water after handling raw egg.
5Heat a little oil in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add tablespoons of batter, spreading each into a pancake about 8 cm (3 in) across. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the underside is golden and the edges have set, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes. They're done when the middle is set all the way through, with no wet batter: tear one open to check. If you use a food thermometer, the center should reach 160°F (71°C).
6Let them cool on a plate for a few minutes. Squash a piece between your thumb and finger: it should be soft, with no firm strands of zucchini. Cut them for your baby's stage and check the temperature before serving.

How to serve it by age

6 months+

Offer only after egg (and dairy, if you used the cheese) has been introduced on its own. Cut each pancake into strips about the size of an adult finger, roughly 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in). Each strip should squash easily between your thumb and finger.

9 months+

Cut into pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch) for pincer-grasp practice, or keep serving strips.

12 months+

Cut into narrow strips or bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch). Serve with soft-cooked vegetables, or with a spoonful of plain yogurt once dairy has been introduced on its own, as part of the family meal.

If your baby reacts

This recipe contains egg. The optional extras contain milk. Introduce one new allergen at a time, mixed into a food your baby already eats, before serving it in a dish with other new foods. Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if you notice mild signs after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.

Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.

Leftovers and the rest of the family

Storing it

Cooked pancakes keep for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge, or 2 to 3 months in the freezer (freeze them in a single layer, then pack them together once frozen). Thaw them in the fridge and use them within 24 hours of thawing, or reheat them from frozen. Reheat only once, until steaming hot, 165°F (74°C), then let them cool and check they're still soft before serving. Throw away anything left in your baby's bowl. Don't leave pancakes at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F (32°C).

For the grown-ups

Cook your baby's pancakes first, then add salt, pepper and chopped herbs or spring onion to the rest of the batter for the adults. Serve with eggs or a salad for an easy lunch.