Sunday: Sam Sifton on Sourdough

 Sourdough Pancake or Waffle Batter

Sam Sifton

• Yield 4 servings
• Time 15 minutes, plus overnight rest

Melina Hammer for The New York Times

If you have a sourdough starter, you will need to feed it to keep it alive. Many recipes call for doing so after discarding a cup or so of the starter you have, so as to maintain its equilibrium and prevent it from growing too large. This recipe takes advantage of that excess starter, using it as the base of a pancake or waffle batter that ferments overnight and yields a remarkably flavorful breakfast the next day, with minimal effort.

Featured in: Sourdough Starter, America’s Rising Pet. 

Learn: How to Make Pancakes

Pancakes, Buttermilk, Sourdough Starter, Breakfast, Main Course

Ingredients

For the overnight sponge, or base:

• 1 cup/240 grams sourdough starter “unfed”
• 1 cup/224 grams buttermilk
• 1 cup/120 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon/about 13 grams light brown sugar

For the batter:

• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup melted unsalted butter or neutral oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon/3 grams kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon/6 grams baking soda

• Nutritional Information

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Preparation

1. Put the sourdough starter in a large bowl and add the buttermilk, flour and sugar, then stir to combine. Cover the bowl and allow it to rest overnight at room temperature.
2. When you are ready to cook, whisk the egg, melted butter or oil and the vanilla extract together in a small bowl, then add the rested sponge. Add the salt and the baking soda to the batter and mix to combine.
3. Pour some of the batter onto a preheated greased waffle iron and cook until the waffle is brown and crisp, then repeat. Or use a small ladle to create pancakes on a preheated oiled pan or griddle, flipping them when they are well browned on the bottom. Serve immediately.