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INTERNATIONAL PANCAKES COLLECTION — From the COOKS.COM Culinary Archive.

INTERNATIONAL PANCAKES COLLECTION

CONTENTS

• 1. Banh Xeo -- Vietnam
• 2. Beghrirs -- Morocco
• 3. Blinis -- Russia
• 4. Bricks -- Tunisia
• 5. Buckwheat Potato Galettes -- France
• 6. Chapatis -- India
• 7. Cheese Blintzes -- Russia
• 8. Crespelle -- Italy
• 9. Kartoflane Placki (Potato Pancakes) -- Poland
• 10 Lefse -- Sweden
• 11 Okonomiyaki -- Japan
• 12 Palatschinken -- Austria
• 13. Pancakes -- USA
• 14. Pikelets -- England
• 15. Spring Rolls -- Asia
• 16. Sweet Crepes -- France
• 17. Tortillas -- Mexico

1. Banh Xeo -- Vietnam

3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons rice flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg pinch salt
3 tablespoons coconut, unsweetened
1 teaspoon potato flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
finely chopped chives

  Stir together flours, combine with eggs, salt, coconut, cumin and oil. Gradually whisk in the water stirring continuously to produce a heavy liquidy batter. Stir in the chopped chives. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise approximately one hour.

  On a hot griddle, spread batter rapidly to obtain and 9 Inch Circle. Allow to cook 30 seconds per side.

  Use Banh Xeo with similar fillings as those you would use to fill Spring rolls. Place the filling on 1/2 of the pancake and fold in half rather than rolling up as you would with a Spring roll. Serve accompanied by soy sauce, or other Asians style dipping sauces. Garnish with shredded lettuce.

2. Beghrirs -- Morocco

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon yeast
1 cup semolina flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

  Combine milk and water in warm in microwave until very warm but not hot. Dissolve yeast in 2 tablespoons warm water. Combine semolina, sugar and salt. Using a whisk, beat eggs lightly. Stir in the dissolved yeast and other liquids. Add the flour a little prince a time until a thick, creamy batter is obtained.

  Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise in a draft free, warm place for about two hours or until doubled in bulk.

  Pour batter onto a hot, greased griddle to form of 5 inch circles. Cook for approximately two minutes on one side -- do not flip.

  To serve, place a pat of butter on each and stack on serving dish, pancake style. Drizzle with honey and garnish with orange slices. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar. A breakfast befitting a Moroccan Royal!

3. Blinis -- Russia

2 cups flour
3/4 cup buckwheat flour
2 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch sugar
3 3/4 cups lukewarm milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  Combine flour, egg yolks, yeast dissolved into tablespoons warm water, salt and sugar in medium bowl. Add 3 cups of lukewarm milk gradually and stir in the melted butter. Allow batter to rise, covered in a warm place free from draft for about one hour hour until batter is doubled in volume. Add remaining milk and fold in the egg whites which have been beaten to stiff peaks. Stir all together gently to combine then set aside and allow to rise an additional hour.

  Lightly grease griddle or skillet with oil. Pour enough to make a small pancakes onto griddle. Cook approximately one minute on each side.

  Serve garnished with smoked salmon slices, lox and cream cheese, fried onions and sour cream dip with dill, or other savory fillings.

4. Bricks -- Tunisia

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon semolina flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups water

  Combine flour, semolina and salt. Gradually stir in the water, whisking continuously. Batter will be runny.

  Using an offset spatula, or pancakes spreader, pour batter and level on a greased griddle or crepe maker. Allow to cook for 30 seconds, flip using spatula and bake 15 seconds longer.

  Roll up to resemble ice cream cones and fill with ham and onion western omelets, scrambled eggs, roasted vegetables or savory meats.

5. Buckwheat Potato Galettes -- France

3/4 of a pound russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 small yellow onion, peeled
1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buckwheat flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 cups milk

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the peeled and quartered potatoes and onions until fork tender. Combine flour, eggs, seasonings, milk and water to make a batter. Using a potato masher, (do not use food processor) mashed together the potatoes and onion. Combine this mixture with the batter and stir until smooth.

  Pour batter onto a hot greased griddle, forming a galette approximately 5 inches in diameter. Cook approximately one minute on each side.

  Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chives or chopped onions browned in butter.

6. Chapatis -- India

1 2/3 cups whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt

  Melt butter. Stir together the flour and salt. Mix all together just to combine. Gradually stir in the water. Turn out onto lightly floured board and knead until a soft, smooth dough ball is formed. Set aside in a warm place covered with a damp towel. Allow to rest 30 minutes.

  Divide dough into 15 equal portions. With a rolling pin, roll each portion curries until a very thin chapati is created, approximately 5 inches in diameter.

  Bake chapatis on a hot griddle or skillet, pressing down with a spatula as chapatis begins to puff to make sure that chapatis stays in contact with the griddle. Allow to cook one minute, flip with spatula and cook one more minute. To keep warm, store covered with a clean cloth until ready to serve.

  Chapatis are Indian flatbread and can be served with curries, chutneys or other aromatic Indian specialties. Serve hot with butter.

7. Cheese Blintzes -- Russia

Shell:

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar (go lighter, use less)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
milk (only to thin to rolling consistency)

Filling:

equal amounts of cottage and farmers cheese
1 tablespoon sugar (go easy)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

  Keep dough a little on the dry side or it will stick together.

  Roll out shell 4x6" (about)into an oval. In a hot skillet with a teaspoon or so of butter, fry dough shells on one side only (This is an optional step - sometimes we fill these without frying the inside, frying them only on the outside once, after they are filled.) Mix filling ingredients together.

  Place dough ovals facing you vertically. If you've cooked one side of each shell, then place the shell with the cooked side up, facing you. (This will be the inside). Otherwise, proceed using a raw shell.

  Fill each shell with a few large tablespoonfuls of the cottage cheese filling, placing mixture into the lower center of each oval. Fold bottom up over filling and roll up, turning sides in to cover the filling and form pouches that resemble Chinese egg rolls. Flatten blintzes slightly and place seam side down on a dish until all are assembled and ready to fry in a buttered skillet.

  Brown the blintzes, sauteing several at a time and turning once, about 5 minutes each side over high heat. Test one and see if the insides are done, then adjust cooking time accordingly.

  Serve with large dollops of sour cream.

8. Crespelle -- Italy

1 2/3 cups flour
5 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley, oregano)
1 2/3 cups milk

  Using a whisk combine flour, eggs, oil, salt, herbs and half of the milk in a medium bowl. Pour in the remaining milk slowly while whisking. Set aside and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

  Pour batter onto greased griddle to form an eight inch diameter circle. Bake until the batter is set (about 30 seconds each side). Flip using a spatula backspace.

  Fill with savory meats, Italian cold cuts such as prosciutto, Parma Ham, slivered provolone, oil marinated black olives with fire roasted pimientos. Appropriately served accompanied by any seasonal antipasto.

  Variation: Eliminate herbs. Add 1 tablespoon sugar to milk in recipe. For filling, combine equal parts ricotta and marscapone cheese, sweeten with sugar to taste and flavor with 1 tablespoon anisette liquor. Fill Crespelle and top with sliced fresh strawberries or pineapple. Drizzle with matching fruit syrup.

9. Kartoflane Placki (Potato Pancakes) -- Poland

3 cups grated potatoes (raw)
2 eggs, well beaten
2 tablespoons flour 
1 medium onion, grated, with juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Squeeze the potatoes in a paper towel to remove as much water as possible. Combine all ingredients together and beat well. Drop mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls onto a well greased hot griddle and spread thinly by pressing lightly with the back of spatula. Fry both sides until golden brown.

Serve with sour cream.

10. Lefse -- Sweden

3 cups riced potatoes (about 8 medium)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups flour

Filling:

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2-3 tablespoons whipping cream
2 teaspoons cinnamon

  Combine the ingredients before the potatoes cool. Consistency will be dough like rather than liquid like a pancake batter. Roll out thinly on a lightly floured board and bake on a hot griddle. A special rolling pin exists for rolling lefse which is useful, but not required unless you're destined to become a lefse aficionado. The rolling pin is unique in that it has ridges to form a pattern of lines with hills and valleys on the rolled dough. The rolling pin is also useful for forming similar types of ridges on gnocchi.

  After cooking lefse, allow to cool before spreading with filling. To make the filling, combine ingredients and spread between two cooled rounds of lefse. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and garnish with a sprig of minute to serve.

11. Okonomiyaki -- Japan

Batter:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 2/3 cups water 

Filling:

8 oz. bacon, diced
4 oz. leeks, chopped finely
3 oz. cabbage, thinly sliced into long strips
3 oz. shrimp, diced and peeled

  Saute the Bacon in a Skillet. Drain on a paper towel and crumble into a bowl. Add leeks, cabbage, and chopped shrimp.

  In a clean bowl, combine egg and flour. Stir the water into the egg and flour mixture gradually to obtain a liquidy batter. Pour batter onto a hot, greased griddle to make in 8 inch diameter circle. Before the batter begins to set, and a spoonful of the filling mixture to the center of the pancake. Pour more batter over the filling to cover. Allow to cook for two minutes then turn over using the spatula and cook another 1 1/2 minutes.

  Okonomiyaki are somewhat like a western omelet, and can be made with all types of precooked shredded meat and vegetable fillings. Be guided by your imagination!

12. Palatschinken -- Austria

2 cups flour
5 eggs, separated
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch salt
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  Using a whisk, beat five egg yolks, gradually adding sugar, then salt. Add flour by spoonfuls, alternating with milk; stir.

  In a clean bowl, which four egg whites until stiff. Fold gently into batter. Allow to rest 30 minutes. Just before cooking, add cooled, melted butter.

  Pour batter onto greased skillet or griddle to make an 8 inch diameter circle. Allow to cook about 30 seconds for each side. When the edges begin to brown, flip with a spatula.

  Adorn with fresh fruit puree, ice cream, whipped cream, custard or sorbet.

13. Pancakes -- USA

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon yeast
1 2/3 cups milk

  Using a whisk, combine flour, eggs, sugar and yeast diluted in warm water and in medium bowl. Stir in the milk gradually and allow the batter to rest, covered in a warm place, for at least 30 minutes.

  Pour half a ladle of batter onto a hot, greased griddle to form of 5 inch diameter pancake. Allow to cook until the center of the batter is set (approximately 30 seconds). Using a spatula, flip the pancake and cook the other side 30 seconds or until done.

  Serve pancakes with maple syrup, melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, fresh or canned fruits, jams or jellies.

14. Pikelets -- England

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon yeast
1 tablespoon warm water (110 degrees F.)
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
pinch salt

  Dissolve yeast in tablespoon of warm water with sugar. Set aside in allow to proof for 10 minutes.

  Melt butter and cool. Stir into yeast mixture. Combine eggs, milk, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Stir all ingredients together to produce a smooth batter. Set aside for 30 minutes to rise, covered with a damp cloth in a warm, draft free place.

  Pour batter onto a hot, greased griddle to form 3 inch circles. When batter sets, (45 seconds to one minute) flip and cook one more minute. Serve hot with melted butter and Seville orange or lemon marmalade on citrus fruit wedges.

15. Spring Rolls -- Asia

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons rice flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
pinch salt
1 3/4 c. plus 2 tablespoons water

  To prepare the batter, combine the two flours, eggs and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the water gradually, whisking continuously to produce a smooth, runny batter.

  Spreading the Spring roll batter on the griddle can be an art form and may require some practice sessions. Spread the batter onto a hot griddle or crepe maker rapidly and evenly to make a skin 9 inches in diameter. Allow to cook for about 30 seconds before flipping with a spatula. Cook the second side 30 seconds more.

  Fill cooked Spring roll skins with a mixture of shredded pork strips, chopped cocktail shrimp, sliced scallions and Chinese Napa cabbage, bean sprouts and other finely sliced vegetables. Place approximately 2 tablespoons of filling on each and roll over one time, folding in the edges to place underneath. Serve with sweet and sour or duck sauce, and Wasabi mustard as condiments for dipping.

16. Sweet Crepes -- France

1/3 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon buckwheat flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup flour
2 cups milk

  Combine sugar, buckwheat flour, melted butter, water, salt, vanilla and the eggs. Stir in the flour, alternating with the milk. Do not overmix.

  Lightly grease griddle or skillet with oil. Pour on a ladle full of batter and spread by rotating pan. Cook over medium Dash hi heat 15 seconds hour until center is set.

  Fill with any sweet filling of your choice: cottage cheese with sugar, vanilla and pineapple, jams and jellies, many it is in maple syrup, ice cream or sorbet, chocolate or vanilla pudding -- these are only just a few suggestions!

17. Tortillas -- Mexico

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups fine cornmeal 
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
1 egg white
pinch salt

  Combine flour, cornmeal, water, egg white and salt. Knead gently on a lightly floured board to form a soft ball. Cover with a bowl and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Divide into eight equal parts.

  With a rolling pin, roll out each part to make a tortilla about 5 inches in diameter and 1/16 of 1 inch thick. If dough is sticking to rolling pin, roll dough between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap.

  Bake tortillas on griddle for one minute on each side. As you prepare the tortillas, stack under a damp paper towel or cloth so that they won't dry out.

  Serve tortillas with grilled marinated chicken breast topped with shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, and sour cream. Or fill with refried beans and teriyaki strips. Melt nacho cheese to serve alongside your favorite salsa.