"Sweetish" Strawberry Pancakes

"Sweetish" Pancake with Bonus Round Strawberries and Yogurt

While vacationing with friends years ago, my then 10-year-old daughter was served a pretty puffed pancake for breakfast. Overjoyed, my budding young cook asked our hostess for the recipe which was happily recited to her. At home some weeks later, she got out her hand-written recipe which she had titled, "Sweetish Pancakes." Her title was fully reflective of her experience, and forevermore our family will think of Swedish Pancakes in this way.

One Morning's Pickings

Strawberries are usually a harbinger of spring, so the early autumn burst of juicy red lusciousness from our everbearing strawberries is a great and unexpected joy. Being fairly committed to eating locally and seasonally, I somehow feel like a cheat to have this luxury, but nothing could be more local or more seasonal. Our garden is completely edged by strawberries of many varieties. Some bless us with fruit in June, then relax in their glossy foliage while the others go to work on this end-of-season bonus round.

My Baby and I have eaten our strawberries in the rustic, puffy pancake fresh from the oven three times this week. Nothing could be easier, and I love watching the puffing oven magic first thing in the morning, opening my eyes to the magic the rest of the day may possess.

Puffed Pancake

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons butter

Place an 8-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven, and preheat the oven to 450˚.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except butter. Whisk vigorously for a minute or so, creating a smooth, thin batter.

Carefully remove pan from hot oven. Place the butter in the pan and swirl until it is melted and the pan is coated. Pour the batter in all at once and zip the pan back into the hot oven. If you have little kids (or have a kid-like curiosity yourself) plop them (or yourself) down in front of the oven window for the next 12-15 minutes, with the real drama happening in the last 6-8 minutes. Magic will happen before your very eyes.

When the pancake is very golden brown (I like mine a little more on the toasty-brown side), remove from oven. "Sweetish" pancakes deflate very quickly, so be sure your audience is called in to witness its full glory right before removing it from the oven. Fill with your favorite sweetened fruit, or traditionally, dowse it with powdered sugar and squeeze with fresh lemon wedges.

Serves 2.

If you have more bellies than two to make happy, this recipe doubles and even triples with good success to accommodate two skillets or one much larger skillet.