November 14, 2007

Breakfast of Champions

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes Recipe

It’s the final stretch: eleven days ’til Thanksgiving. You’ve stripped the pantry of everything but the essentials you’ll need for the big day.

So what are you supposed to eat until then?

We asked Moto pastry chef Ben Roche to whip up a special recipe just for us. Our guidelines were simple: no liquid nitrogen, no lasers. Here’s hoping his pumpkin pie pancakes tide you over.

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes with Cranberry Maple Syrup
Makes 12

Pancakes
3 slices prebaked 8-inch pumpkin pie (cut into 8 even slices)
2 eggs
¼ c. plus 2 tbsp. milk
½ c. plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. brown sugar
½ tsp. powdered cinnamon
½ tsp. powdered ginger

Syrup
¾ c. cranberry sauce
¼ c. maple syrup

1. Roughly chop pumpkin pie, crust and all, into half-inch pieces. 

2. Put chopped pie and eggs into blender and blend until smooth.

3. Add milk and dry ingredients and blend until smooth (a little clumpy is okay).

4. Pour batter into buttered pan and cook as you would normal pancakes. When they are a dark caramel color, flip delicately.

5. Blend cranberry sauce and maple syrup.

6. Top pancakes with cranberry maple syrup. Moan in ecstasy. Repeat tomorrow morning.

Sample Roche’s other creations at Moto, 945 West Fulton Market Street, at Sangamon Street (312-491-0058 or motorestaurant.com).