If you haven’t figured it out by now, that sourdough starter you have sitting on the counter is really pretty versatile (and you thought sourdough was just for bread…). Today we’re going to bring out a breakfast recipe and make some sourdough pancakes, though if waffles are your thing, feel free to use the batter for waffles instead. I promise I won’t be offended.
The cool thing about this recipe, for me at least, was the chemical reaction. Overall, I hated most of chemistry. Who really cares about covalent bonds and isotopes? But I did (mostly) enjoy the experiments – I’m a hands on kind of person, and chemistry made more sense to me when I could see it in action. Besides, burning stuff in test tubes is fun.
Anyway, the key to making these sourdough pancakes light and fluffy is that chemical reaction. They’re not going to turn blue and start spewing toxic smoke – if they do, congratulations, because you really managed to screw up the recipe! Instead it’s the baking soda reacting with the acidity of the sourdough (lactic acid, remember?) to produce lots of little air bubbles (think about when you combine vinegar and baking soda – same thing), and those air bubbles are what cause the end result to be soft and airy.
But enough with the educational junk, you’re here for the food. I know, me too.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sourdough starter (if you don't have enough, take what you have, add flour and a little water to equal 2 cups, and let it sit on the counter for a day)
- 1-2 Tbsp honey or organic sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup olive (or melted coconut) oil
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. (Note: if you're not cooking these right away, don't add the baking soda yet - only add that when you're ready to start cooking!)
- Let the batter sit for a minute to allow the baking soda to act and start producing all those bubbles. If you put your ear close to the bowl, you should be able to hear it fizzing.
- On a heated griddle or skillet, pour about 1/4 cup batter at a time to make pancakes (or put it in your waffle maker).
- Cook for a couple minutes per side, until golden and bubbly.
- Eat them as they come off the griddle, or wait and eat with the rest of your family, serving with your favorite toppings.
[…] few days as we look at some simple ways to utilize all that awesome sourdough goodness; try bread, pancakes, and especially English […]