Hotbox Hipster

“Why, sometimes i’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

Lewis Carroll – Alice in Wonderland

Maine Pancakes

i remember writing this recipe down nearly 13 years ago, one lazy winter day at work thumbing through my employer’s many cook books in my days as a full time nanny. it sat in my recipe box… and it sat… until one day i made it- i think after i acquired three lovely cast iron skillets from an estate sale in the city for five bucks.  after i made it, that was it, i was smitten. it was unbelievably basic, and i loved the way it puffed up in the oven… a real show off right off the bat- and perfect for impressing an overnight guest in the morning. who, in those days happened to be my husband (we began dating around that time) most weekends.  you start this on the stove, just to melt the butter… and then once you pour in a bit of batter, into a hot oven it goes for ten minutes.  the puffiness is short lived (extremely) so if you’re trying to wow them, be sure they are near their plate once you pull this out of the oven. have their fixings ready- i recommend fresh fruit, maple syrup or honey, and plenty of powdered sugar in a sifter to lend a nice sweetness to it’s simple flavor.

you need:

2 large eggs- lightly beaten

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

pinch of salt and a pinch of nutmeg

T. of butter

powdered sugar for dusting

Heat oven to 425. Whisk together eggs, flour, milk, salt and nutmeg until well combined. May be a little lumpy. melt a T. of butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. pour batter into pan, enough to generously coat bottom (but not too much) – and transfer to oven. bake for 10-12 mins until pancake is golden brown and fluffy. Transfer to plate immediately and dust with powdered sugar.  enjoy!