SPELT PANCAKES WITH WHITE PEACH SAKE REDUCTION

     I am so excited about how these pancakes turned out so light and fluffy with a satisfyingly warm and soft bite and a really wholesome nutty flavor. I wanted to make use the new Whole Wheat Organic Spelt Flour I just bought so I figured I'd just substitute it for regular flour. The Farro in the Herb Farro Salad I made a few posts ago is also known as spelt. I remembered that Grandma had a whole wheat flour recipe called "Dorothy's Pancakes" in her recipe tin so I fished it out. Here is the original recipe. 

    I didn't have wheat germ, so I substituted almond meal, which has a really nice texture and nutty flavor. I used soy milk instead of buttermilk, but the buttermilk really might have taken these up another entire notch! I also added baking soda for the fluff factor and olive oil, just because well do I need to explain? I basically changed the entire recipe, for the good because these are the best pancakes I have ever made and I am sure you can just as easily substitute regular flour for spelt with great results. I also wanted to make use of the one ripe white peach I had, so I made a buttery sake reduction with a bit of cinnamon. 

    I really am finding that food photography for the blog is so difficult because my tendency is to rush through the shots because I am starving and Mike is always pacing around waiting for his daily rations. When its something more vegetable based, he usually stays away but pancakes, forget about it. He was hovering over me playing his guitar and I thought the hunger combined with the strumming was going to give me an aneurism. But the soft warm buttery spelt pancakes calmed my soul.

SPELT PANCAKES WITH PEACH SAKE REDUCTION

1 C. spelt flour

5 TBSP. almond meal

1 TBSP. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 TBSP baking powder

1 egg

1 1/4 C. soy milk

1 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil

Mix everything but don't over mix and let sit for 5 minutes. Cook on a warm griddle until golden on both sides. 

Serve with peach sake reduction.

PEACH SAKE REDUCTION

1-2 ripe white peaches, sliced

2 TSBP butter

2 TBSP sugar

1 TBSP sake

1/2 tsp. vanilla

dash salt

dash cinnamon

In a small saucepan simmer everything on low heat until reduced to a light syrup. Pour hot over warm pancakes.

Read more about why spelt is so good for you at the World's Healthiest Foods website.