Its been about a month in the quarantine now and in that time I started a show! It’s called the Simple Cooking Cooking Show and I do these LIVE shows on Instagram with other chefs and foodies.
The show has now been running a little over 3 weeks and ever since the start, this has been a recipe that Marta requested. Marta is from Sienna, Italy and has been in the quarantine a bit longer than us in the US.
She has really contributed on the show, once or twice a week and continues to be a highlight of my week. Going to see into her Tuscan kitchen and some of the sunsets and countryside she shows us just out her backyard are breath taking.
I thought it was funny at first when Marta asked to do American pancakes. She makes incredible pastas and she wants to learn pancakes? But, after I did the show with her I saw how excited her and her husband got. Her husband immediately tasted the pancake on camera and yelled “It tastes like Los Angeles!”
So, I realized now why she asked me for a simple pancake recipe. She wanted a great pancake recipe, and she wanted to feel like she took a trip to the US. She has memories of thick pancakes piled high in an American breakfast spot.
And we did it together! A few other people joined in and made pancakes with us, some with their kids and changed it up by putting in chocolate chips. It was my favorite show so far, maybe because it was a weekend brunch edition and I just love brunch.
Here is the recipe below and our video together on Instagram is at the bottom of the post. Enjoy!!
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If you’re looking for a basic, all-American pancake recipe, this is it! The secret to the fluffiest pancakes is to separate the whites from the yolks and whip the whites until stiff peaks form. Then, you gently mix the fluffy egg whites into batter to fluff it all up. This gives so much air and ups the fluffy factor in your pancakes. It does take a little extra effort but it is so worth it.
I like to top mine with a little ground flax seed for added nutrition and the nutty taste. It ups the fiber and omega-3’s so I don’t feel so bad eating pancakes.
Fluffy Pancake Recipe
Makes 10-12 pancakes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ (190g) cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 T lemon or white vinegar)
- 2 eggs, whites and yolks separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ lemon, zested
- ¼ cup butter, melted
Optional: add 1 cup blueberries or sliced bananas
Directions:
Directions:
Mix all the dry ingredients first. In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk, yolks, vanilla, lemon zest and butter. Then mix wet ingredients into the dry ones. Mix just until moistened. A few dry spots are okay.
Then, whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl with an electric whisk until soft peaks form. Click here if you’re looking for a good electric whisk. Fold ⅓ of the whites into the batter. Then, add the rest of the egg whites to the batter and fold gently. Add the berries at this time if you like.
On a nonstick skillet on medium to low heat, spoon about 1/4 cup of batter on the skillet. When it starts to bubble around the edges and gets dry a little around the edges, flip. Cook another 3 minutes or so, or until golden brown. When both sides are golden brown, reserve on a plate and cover with foil or place in an oven at 200 F to keep warm. Serve with maple syrup, fresh fruit, or jam.
Notes:
Dairy-free- if you want to make them dairy-free replace buttermilk with any plant-based milk like soy or almond and use dairy-free margarine.
