kürbis

This is not just something that is eaten in Netflix Series, nops, it is an actual dish. To be honest, an incredibly delicious brunch!! The mix of salty and sweet, unexpectedly,just works in such great harmony. If you have never tried this cross of sweet and salty, then it is high time – and this recipe is perfect to do so!

What is special about this dish?

Well, first of all that there is pumpkin in pancakes. Usually pumpkin would not be the first ingredient I would add to pumpkins but this time we are doing things differently. And really, it is not so odd if you think about it: you would also add apple sauce to pancakes – and after all, pumpkin also is sweet, so why not adding it?

And then, secondly what is not quite usual is the mix of savory and sweet. I get it if you are slightly skeptical towards a fried egg along with maple syrup, but trust me – it unexpectedly is really good! While pumpkin, egg and maple syrup may not be too common, a cross of sweet and salty is. Just think about chocolate with sea salt or fruits in salads or even about fried chicken and waffles.

how healthy is this dish?

Contrary to regular pancakes, these are very much packed with nutrients! Where should we start? Let‘s start at the very base: the pancake batter! It is made out of eggs (high in protein), pumpkin (packed with vitamins, carbs and fibre), wholewheat flour (more carbs and fibre), maple syrup or honey (yep, still a lot of sugar but with a few nutrients), cinnamon, salt & baking powder as well as (plant based) yoghurt (contains probiotics and protein!). It definitely can be said that despite the sugar, the pancakes still are quite nutritious and definitely better for you than regular pancakes!

What else? The toppings! Here it really is up to you what you are adding on top, you can choose to go for savory to have a fun and different experience (which tastes amazing, really!) or you can also go for sweet if you want something more classic. Depending on what you choose, the nutrients will vary. If you, as in this recipe, go for goat’s cheese, avocado and fried egg, you‘ll have a great combo of protein, healthy fats and vitamins. Those will also contribute to satisfying you and making you feel full. And of course we cannot skip that maple on top of pancakes 🙂 and that is good for your soul!

Are they prepared differently from regular pancakes?

No, they are not different. What it really comes down to is mixing eggs with honey, (plant based) yoghurt, pumpkin purée, cinnamon and salt until combined. Now we mix in the flour and baking powder with a whisk until a batter forms where there are no lumps left. This batter will now sit for 5 minutes while we prepare the toppings (slice avocado, prep cheese and prepare the egg). Now the batter has to be fried in hot butter, margarine or oil. It is best to measure out the amount with an ice cream scoop and add it into the pan on medium heat. They will now cook and once you see bubbles forming in the batter, it is time to flip them and cook them on the other side for about 3 minutes until golden brown.

To make the cooked ones stay warm while the rest is cooking, it is best to place them in the oven with a cover at like 60°C. Since they are covered, they will not dry out and they‘ll also stay warm. Well now just fry the remaining ones, fry the egg, stack them onto a plate, top with the avo, cheese, egg and a gooood drizzle of maple syrup! That‘s it!

What about the pumpkin purée? Where do I get it?

So the first option is to make it yourself. That really is super easy – I even have an instruction video for this on my Instagram (find it here). All that needs to be done is steaming the pumpkin and mashing it into purée with either a mixer, a blender or a hand blender.

The other option would be to buy it at the store. Depending on where you live, this may be easier or more difficult. I know in Austria you can find it at the baby-food section and sometimes even next to the canned goods in the super market. However, making it yourself is really no big deal!

Freeze them for a 5-minute breakfast!

The great thing about making pancakes is the fact that you can batch make and store them. Whenever I make pancakes, it is a challenge to eat them all at once. So what I do is freezing them (first on a tray/ plate (so they do not stick together as they would if you’d place them in a bag right away) and then in a bag). Whenever I crave one for breakfast, I just heat it up in the toaster or the microwave and have a ready to go breakfast! You can perfectly do so with these pancakes!

All in all it can be said that this really is a brunch dish worth trying. In my family they are much loved! Yep, even my grandma loved them and asked for more!! So, grab a pumpkin and get into the kitchen to make your perfect Sunday brunch!

Have fun cooking,
Enjoy,
Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière