The secret to American diner pancakes is buttermilk, which makes them rise tall and soft. In the vegan version it is replaced with a pantry trick. Just one and a half tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in the oat drink, then five or ten minutes of patience, long enough for the liquid to barely solidify. The rest is made with pumpkin and a mix of spices prepared at home.
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The recipe
Ingredients for 8 large pancakes:
For the spice mix:
The spices must be mixed separately. It is better to avoid ready-made mixtures, which lose their aroma quickly, and remember the freshly grated nutmeg.
How they prepare
First of all the fake buttermilk. Pour the oat drink and vinegar into a medium bowl, mix and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes. In the meantime, in a larger bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, sugar and spices with a whisk. When the drink has thickened, add the pumpkin puree and vanilla and, once the mixture is nice and smooth, the oil will slowly enter and mix in slightly. At this point you will have to pour the liquid onto the powders and incorporate it with a wooden spoon, without electric whisks and without insisting. As soon as the flour pockets disappear, stop: a few small lumps are fine, while an overly worked dough will result in gummy pancakes. Then ten minutes of rest.
Cooking
Heat the non-stick pan for a few minutes over medium-low heat, then spread a thin layer of oil with kitchen paper and pour in a ladle of mixture, approximately 120 ml. The moment to flip the pancake comes when the bubbles in the center become regular and the edges dry, taking on color, all after a minute and a half or two (the same on the other side). Lower the heat a little after the first or second round, because the pan tends to overheat, and remember to place the ready pancakes on a plate, separated by sheets of baking paper, perhaps in the oven at around 95 degrees if you want to serve them piping hot. For those who are gluten intolerant, try oat flour: the pancakes will just be a little thinner, and they will still be delicious.
How to serve and store them
Use some maple syrup and some raspberries, or a few chips of vegan dark chocolate directly into the dough. If they have any leftovers, they will last you for about three days in the fridge: keep them in a closed container and sauté them in the pan, or in the oven at 175 degrees for 10-15 minutes, so that they don’t become soft. Frozen (remember to keep them separated using baking paper) they will last for a couple of months.
