Sourdough pancakes (and waffles, too!)

Want some waffles that aren't awful? Pining for pancakes with panache? Give your breakfast some bounce with something simply stupendous: sourdough!

 

Some of the worst pancakes and waffles I've ever had, are the sort that come from a mix in a box. Like anything else we eat, they can't help but taste better if they're homemade. Why would someone use a mix anyway? Pancakes particularly, but waffles also, grew out of a need for a straightforward, easy-to-make meal to get the day off to a good beginning when there wasn't much to cook with. If bread boils down to water and flour, with a dash of yeast; then pancakes are little more than flour, water and an egg. Strictly speaking sourdough is not necessary, but it doesn't hurt. In fact, it can add some flavor to something that might otherwise be a ho-hum shade of bland.

 

Here's the basic recipe I use. Note the standard rules on substitutions.

 

1 c. sourdough starter

2 tbsp. butter or oil

1 egg

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. baking soda

1 c. all-purpose flour

 

Soften the butter and place in a medium-size mixing bowl before adding other ingredients. Stir ingredients until they are thoroughly mixed. If the final mixture is too thick, add approximately ¼ cup of additional moisture to thin the batter out. My children prefer when I use buttermilk, but I also have had satisfactory results with milk. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, when it is properly heated, spoon batter onto the surface. Flip pancakes when they are lightly browned around the edges and removefter about 30 seconds, when they have had time to cook all the way through.

 

I use the same recipe to satisfy my children's craving for waffles, with no alterations to the amounts of the ingredients. Feel free to experiment and adjust the recipe to suit your own palate.

 

For extra flavor, substitute ½ c. whole wheat flour for half the all-purpose flour.