German Apple Pancake

Here’s how to start your Monday morning. Contributed by Silverbelle Mimi Balsamo of the Post Island SB Troop:

Here’s a Family Favorite. long favored by our junior silverback son, Chris. As a matter of fact, he’s about to come by to make it for a Sunday treat! SB Mimi

German Apple Pancake
This is a pancake – just one- you bake, and it’s ready all at once for everyone, instead of a serving at a time. We adapted it long ago from The Vegetarian Epicure, a favorite cook book at the time.

To Make Pancake :

3 large eggs
3/4 cup of milk
3/4cup white flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 TBS unsalted (preferred)butter

Filling

1lb tart, fresh apples
1/4c melted butter
1/4 c sugar
powdered cinnamon and grated nutmeg to taste

Topping (optional) – shredded cheddar, powdered sugar

Before the introduction of the kitchen stove in the mid-19th century, a commonly used **cast iron cooking pan called** a **spider** had a handle and three legs used to stand up in the coals and ashes of the fire.

*This is what Mimi does after breakfast. She’s the one in the middle.*

Directions:preheat the oven – 450 degrees. Whisk together the eggs, milk, flour (sift it if you want a better pancake) and salt until very smooth. In a heavy 12 inch cast iron skillet, melt about 11/2 TBS butter. As soon as it is quite hot, pour in the batter and put the skillet into the oven, After 15 minutes lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees, and continue to bake for another 10 minutes. The pancake should be light brown and crisp, like a popover shell. During the first 10-15minutes of baking, the pancake may puff up in large bubbles. IF it does, pierce them thoroughly with a fork.
While the pancake is cooking prepare the filling. Peel and thinly slice a pound of apples. Saute them lightly in 1/4c butter and add sugar to taste, about 1/4 c. Season to taste with cinnamon and nutmeg. the apples should be just tender, not soft. You may slide the pancake out of the pan onto a platter, and pour in the apples, or as we do, just slice it in the pan. Substitute any yummy fruit in season for the apples.
Great Brunch for a winter’s morning for all those cozy silverbacks and belles! Bon Appetit!

SB Mimi Balsamo

“Make each moment an occasion to live deeply, happily in peace.”
Thich Nhat Hanh