Pittsburgh's Finest Diner Pancakes
Source: King Arthur Flour
Pamela's Diner, with six outposts in and around Pittsburgh, is justly famous for its oversized pancakes. Light and buttery, thinner than regular pancakes but thicker than crêpes, people rave about their crisp edges and wonderful texture. In fact, a certain President liked owner Pam Cohen's pancakes so much, he invited her and co-owner Gail Klingensmith to the White House to cook their signature cakes in person!
Our version of these cakes, based on some "hints" Pamela's has dropped about their secret recipe, produces pancakes we feel are close to the original.
1 cup lukewarm milk
2 T vegetable oil
3/4 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/8 tsp salt (or a heaping 1/4 teaspoon)
1 tsp baking powder
1 T sugar
1/2 tsp instant yeast
1 large egg, beaten
1) In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together everything except the egg, stirring until fairly smooth; a few small lumps can remain.
2) Tent the bowl lightly with plastic, and allow it to rest at room temperature for 3 hours; it'll start to bubble just a bit.
3) Refrigerate the batter overnight.
4) Just before cooking the pancakes, stir in the beaten egg.
5) Heat a 9" or 10" skillet over medium heat; or heat a 9" or 10" electric skillet to 300°F; or heat a griddle that's at least 9" to 10" wide, and easy to pick up and handle.
6) Place 1 tsp vegetable oil and 1 tsp butter into the skillet, swirling them around until the butter melts. Yes, use 1 teaspoon each; this is what will give the pancakes their signature crisp edges.
7) Pour a scant 1/2 cup batter into the pan, tilting the pan until the batter forms a circle about 9" in diameter. It's important that you do this quickly, before the pancake has a chance to set; the thin edges that result from tilting the pan to distribute the batter become wonderfully crispy.
8) Cook the pancake for about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, or until its underside is golden brown. Flip it over, and cook about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more, until golden.
9) Transfer to a plate (or lightly greased baking sheet, if you want to keep the pancake warm in the oven while you cook the remainder). Repeat with the remaining batter.
10) Serve the pancakes with butter and syrup. Or spread sour cream (or whipped cream, or yogurt), layer strawberries down the center, and roll like a blintz.
Yield: 4 large pancakes.
Tips from our bakers:
*The "authentic" way to serve these pancakes is spread with sour cream, sprinkled with brown sugar, topped with sliced strawberries, and rolled — think blintz. We love them that way (and substituting yogurt for the sour cream won't noticeably diminish their wonderful flavor); or simply as is (not rolled), topped with a drizzle of maple syrup.
*Want to double this recipe to make 8 pancakes? Not a problem. Double everything except the yeast, which can remain at 1/2 teaspoon.