Last month I set out to make Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick's Day, like I always do. (I also made a Chocolate Stout Cake, but this blog has seen more than its fair share of cakes.) I was eager to try Fallon & Byrne's soda bread recipe touted in Bon Appetit, and in the course of looking up the recipe I stumbled across a fantastic idea: cooking the dough on a griddle, a la English muffins or crumpets. So I doubled the recipe and made both baked and griddled versions. Wouldn't you know it, the griddled bread was better than the loaf. Since then I've been playing with the recipe to make it a bit less dense while at the same time more oat-y. And pancake-y. And a touch savory, thanks to the addition of fresh rosemary.
The batter is hearty and nutty thanks to whole wheat graham flour, raw wheat germ and both old fashioned and steel cut oats.
It's also a touch sweet thanks to brown sugar.
Buttermilk imparts a slight tang -- and rise -- to the batter.
You'll want to add the optional chopped fresh rosemary. Trust me. (This from a girl who isn't mad about rosemary.)
Top with berries and you've got a winning breakfast that just so happens to be perfect pre-run fuel in case you, like me, are getting back into running.
Oh, and don't forget a generous pat of Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter.
Irish Soda Bread Pancakes
Makes 10, 4-inch pancakes
Adapted from Fallon & Byrne Soda Bread, Bon Appetit, March 2010
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat graham flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup raw wheat germ
2 tablespoons steel-cut oats
2 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
2 cups buttermilk
Nonstick cooking spray
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients except the buttermilk and cooking spray. Add the buttermilk and stir until the mixture forms a uniform batter.
2. Heat a griddle or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Coat with cooking spray and spoon about 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle for each pancake. The batter is thick, so you'll have to press and spread it around with your finger or a spoon. Cook until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side. Note: Between batches, wipe the griddle with a cloth or paper towel and re-spray with cooking spray.