A month ago I received some cookbooks dating from the depression era to the early nineties. Oh boy! I was in heaven. I have had a chance to go through some of them, but there is still a plethora to go through. One that I came across was a sourdough cookbook. I was intrigued. I remember as a kid having a starter in our refrigerator. I remember it being in there for a long time, until one day we threw it out. That is all I remember. I don't remember having anything sour-doughy from the starter, just that it was in the back of the fridge and it was stinky.
The cookbook is called Sourdough Cookin' It's "Starting" All Over Again, dated June 1978 from the Michigan State University Cooperative Extension Service. It has a recipe for a starter as well as numerous recipes for pancakes, waffles, muffins, coffeecakes, biscuits, etc... I read it and decided to make my own starter. The recipe calls for all purpose flour, yeast, and water. That is it. I started with this "original" recipe, until it was time to "feed" my living organism. At the time I was out of all purpose white flour, milk, and sugar. Everything I needed to "feed" it. I did however have whole wheat flour, honey, and almond milk. I thought a moment...Ok, I do have flour, sugar, and milk; just not your ordinary types. I tried it. The next day I checked it, it was bubbling, the yeast cells were working. A week later it was time to feed it again. I still did not have the ordinary ingredients, so again I added wheat flour, honey, and almond milk. I have added these ingredients each time I have "fed" my starter. Since it is a living thing, it should probably have a name. Let's name it Jack, as in flapjack. Sounds appropriate to me.
It now has been over a month since I have been "feeding" Jack. Last night I thought that a portion of him was ready to be consumed in some manner or another. What other way than to start with pancakes, it is traditional. This morning I got up and started with the recipe in the book for Original Sourdough Pancakes, as I was mixing batter I looked over and there on the other end of the counter there were a bunch of bananas calling to me. "We would taste amazing in those pancakes your making, pair us with some pecans and we will make them taste out of this world". Who could argue with a statement like that. I diced one up one large banana, chopped up a half cup pecans and folded them into the batter. I cooked them up on the griddle. I served the pancakes with some maple syrup, garnished with sliced bananas and more pecans. They were "out of this world".
I would recommend starting your "Jack", Jim, Fred, Betsy, etc... whatever name you call it, at least one week before making these pancakes. The starter will have more of a chance to ferment and develop more of a sour taste, and that is the point of having sourdough pancakes. I added bananas and pecans, feel free to add blueberries, apples, peaches, or even zucchini. Add-ins or plain they are still good and healthier than your average pancakes.
SOURDOUGH STARTER
2 c. all purpose flour
2 c. warm water
1 package of active dry yeast
Mix the yeast, flour, and water throughly in a glass or plastic bowl....don't use metal. Set the mixture in a warm place overnight. The next day the mixture should be bubbly and a yeasty smell. Refrigerate.
Over the course of time be sure to feed your starter 1c. milk, 1c. flour, and 1/4c. sugar (I used whole wheat flour, almond milk, and honey). Mix and leave at room temperature for 24 hours (not using in the mean time). Refrigerate.
SOURDOUGH PANCAKES
2 c. sourdough starter
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 c. applesauce (or oil)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. soda
1 large banana, diced + more sliced for garnishing (optional)
1/2 c. chopped pecans + more for garnishing (optional)
Maple syrup
Preheat oven to 180 degrees (or lowest setting to keep warm). Stir the salt, sugar, applesauce, and flour into the starter. Mix the eggs and soda in a small bowl. Add the banana and pecans to the starter mixture, then the eggs and soda. Mix.
Bake on a greased griddle. As pancakes are done, place on a plate and keep in the oven to stay warm until the others are finished cooking. Garnish each individual plate of pancakes with extra bananas and pecans. Drizzle with maple syrup. Serve.
