Apple Pancakes with Pear
In these pancakes the fruit leads, not the flour. Finely grated apple gives the batter its moisture, so it stays tender without needing much flour, and thin slices of pear, pressed into each pancake right in the pan, stay juicy like bites of fresh fruit. Whipped egg whites, folded in last, keep the batter airy.
The pripik technique, where a filling is laid straight onto raw batter in the skillet, has a long history in Ukrainian cooking; the same is done with pumpkin or onion. Here the pear adds a light honeyed note that balances tart Antonovka apples, an old-world variety close to a Granny Smith in bite.
Three things to get right
- Whip the whites only when well chilled and fold them in with a gentle motion, or the batter deflates and the pancakes come out flat.
- Add the pear slices the moment the bottom has just set, so they sink in rather than slide off.
- Plum or peach works in place of pear on the same principle.
Fry right after the batter has rested half an hour: the baking powder and whites lift best in fresh batter. Note the kefir here, a tangy cultured milk close to thin buttermilk, which you can swap one-for-one. Serve warm with sour cream (smetana) or honey.
Part of Ukrainian cuisine — 302 more recipes in the section.
You might also like
Ingredients
Instructions
Peel and core the apples and grate them on a fine grater. Cut the pear into thin slices.
Whisk the whole egg with the milk and kefir, and dissolve the sugar into the mixture. Add the baking soda slaked with lemon juice, the vanilla, lemon zest, baking powder, melted butter, and the grated apples. Mix well.
Gradually work in the flour, whisking thoroughly until the batter reaches the consistency of thin sour cream. Let the batter rest for half an hour.
Whip two well-chilled egg whites with a pinch of salt and gently fold them into the batter.
Heat a skillet with a little vegetable oil. Spoon the batter onto the skillet to form pancakes. As soon as they start to set on the bottom, lay slices of pear on top. Fry on both sides until golden.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.