Gluten-Free
Well, you know I have been trying to pay a little tribute in my own way to Gina De Palma since her passing last week. I’m basically doing this by re-reading her book and Mario Battali’s Babbo Cookbook for which she wrote the Dolci chapter. Here I’m learning all about her love of the Italian tradition and love of cooking with chestnuts. I’ve been busy cooking with chestnut flour and chestnut honey. In the Babbo cookbook you will find her recipe for Castagnaccio, a chestnut cake.
Chestnut Flour – available at Whole Foods
Today, I got out my bag of Chestnut Flour (available at Whole Foods) and did a little variation of a pancake recipe I found on cookituppaleo.com. I had a yummy breakfast for lunch! You will note there is no added fat in this recipe, which is quite unique. Of course, if you want to do paleo, you can follow her recipe exactly. (http://cookituppaleo.com/fluffy-chestnut-flour-pancakes/)
Blueberries are the perfect complement here – flavor and color-wise!
Here is mine:
Gluten-Free Chestnut/Coconut Pancakes – adapted from cookituppaleo.com
3/4 cup chestnut flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
4 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon sugar (I had this leftover from my scones yesterday *)
1 tsp chestnut honey
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
maple syrup
fresh blueberries
* just rub some lemon zest into a small bit of sugar with your fingertips
Preheat your griddle over low heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and lemon sugar. Add the honey and whisk again. Add the Chestnut Flour, the Coconut Flour, 1/4 cup of the milk and the apple cider vinegar. Mix with a wooden spoon. Add some or all of the remaining 1/4 cup milk just until you have a batter that resembles a regular pancake batter – not too thick, not too thin (you know).
Butter the griddle lightly and turn the temperature up a bit. Pour the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto the griddle. Don’t let the griddle get too hot. Flip the pancakes when they just begin to look firm around the edges. Do this gingerly. (I burned my first batch so watch them – the chestnut flour is more tender and will burn at a lower temperature).
Meanwhile, heat your maple syrup in a small pan. When the pancakes feel firm to the touch in the center, place on a plate. Add butter, syrup and blueberries and serve. Enjoy! Yum!
