Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• For the pancakes, crack the eggs into a blender, add 125g/4½oz flour, 150ml/¼ pint milk, 25g/1oz spinach and a pinch of salt and black pepper, then blitz until smooth.
• Put a saucepan on a medium heat. Add the butter and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, or until softened.
• Stir in 50g/1¾oz flour and very gradually pour in 700ml/1¼ pint milk, stirring all the time, then cook until thickened slightly. Stir in the rest of the spinach and season to taste.
• Put a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil.
• Add just enough batter to coat the base of the pan, gently swirling it to cover, cook until lightly golden, then flip and cook on the other side.
• Repeat with the remaining batter, wiping out the pan with a ball of kitchen paper and adding a tiny drizzle of oil each time – you should end up with 5 thin pancakes.
• Meanwhile, grate the cheese and tear up the ham (if using).
• If your frying pan isn’t ovenproof, get yourself a deep ovenproof pan or dish (26cm/10½in diameter). Repeat the layers of pancake, spinach sauce, ham and cheese until you’ve used up all the ingredients, finishing with a layer of sauce and cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling, then rest for 10 minutes before serving.
• Tear apart the lettuce leaves, toss with 3 tablespoons olive oil and a tablespoon of red wine vinegar, then season with salt and pepper and serve alongside the pancake stack.