Zucchini and ham pancakes for little gourmets

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 1 zucchini, approx. 250 g
• 75 g lean smoked or cooked ham
• ½ tsp thyme
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 200 g flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 200 ml buttermilk
• 125 g low-fat curd cheese
• e.g. salt and pepper
• n. B. garlic granules
• 4 tbsp oil, neutral, for frying
• possibly parsley or basil

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Rest time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

Day-child-tested, quick, tasty and calcium-rich lunch for 6 toddlers or 3 adults

Grate the zucchini and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let stand for 10 minutes, drain into a sieve, and squeeze the water vigorously several times. Combine the flour with the baking powder, add melted butter, eggs, buttermilk, and quark, and whisk vigorously. Season with salt, pepper, thyme (this can be omitted or replaced with fresh parsley or basil), and a few turns of granulated garlic from a grinder (I don’t use fresh garlic for the pancakes; it’s too strong for my kids and could burn too quickly during frying). If you don’t want to use dried garlic, simply omit it. Let the well-mixed batter (if you’re worried about it getting “lumpy,” use an electric mixer instead) rest for 10 minutes. Add the squeezed zucchini and the diced ham and mix well. Season to taste, and add more salt if needed. The pancakes shouldn’t taste bland; even small children don’t like that! Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan and add 3-4 small pancakes to each pancake. Cook until light brown and cooked through on both sides. Tip: A garlic yogurt sauce (simply mix natural yogurt with salt and fresh garlic) is delicious. My kids prefer them plain or with a small dollop of tomato ketchup (with less sugar) for dipping.