Old time griddle cakes get a twist with ricotta and maple

By Jim Bailey
theyankeechef.blogspot.com

I  doubt if anyone remembers griddle cakes from generations ago and I doubt even further that you will find these delightful taste treats in any restaurant. And both are a shame.

The precursor of pancakes of today, griddle cakes were simply very thin pancakes that were much crispier and more tender than what we enjoy today.  I adore the texture and simple taste of this cross between a crepe and a flapjack, pancakes our ancestors relished many years ago. I have a recipe written by my ancestor, dated from 1840-ish, in which she wrote “if you keep greasing with fat back, you will have no problems.” I have Yanked this recipe to keep up with today’s palate.

Maple-ricotta griddle cakes

Serve with a side of your favorite, jam, jelly preserves or sour apple glaze to dip each forkful into. I also enjoy wrapping these around some aged ham and cheddar to snack on or as an appetizer.

4 ounces (1 cup) ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons maple syrup*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup flour, plus more to knead with
sour apple glaze, recipe below

Maple ricotta griddle cakes with a sour apple glaze.

Place the ricotta cheese in a strainer and let drain for 30 minutes, removing as much of the whey as possible. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, maple syrup, salt and pepper together. Add the flour and mix until a dough is formed. You may need to add a tablespoon more flour at a time to come together, depending on how dry you were able to get the cheese. Remove from bowl onto a floured work surface and knead just until it is combined and forms a ball.

Roll out to a 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. With a 3-inch diameter cookie cutter or the rim of a glass, cut out circles. If you have dough left over, reform and cut more.

Spray or grease a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, shake off excess flour from the circles and add as many of them to the pan as you want, cook for 1 minute or until lightly browned. Turn over and cook an additional 30 seconds. Remove, repeat with all griddle cakes.

Sour apple glaze

I used some apple jelly I made myself this fall but of course purchased is just as nice. In a small saucepan, add 1/4 cup apple jelly, 1/4 cup orange juice and 2 teaspoons lime juice. Whisk well and warm over medium heat until hot, stirring frequently.

*Honey is a great alternative if you don’t have maple syrup on hand.

Schiffer Books of Pennsylvania has released Jim Bailey’s new book The Yankee Chef: Feel Good Food for Every Kitchen. It contains more than 550 traditional New England comfort-food recipes tweaked for today’s palates with hundreds of kitchen tips and food facts. The hardback book is 312 pages and contains 200 color images. Its ISBN is 978-0-7643-4191-5 and the cost is $34.99. The book can be ordered through Misty Valley Books, 802-875-3400.