Maslin and banana pancakes with bacon

I’m a little bit in love with maslin flour.

On a recent trip to the Lake District we made a pit stop at Booths, a Northern supermarket where you can do your average weekly shop whilst also discovering amazing local produce from small specialist suppliers. I make a beeline for this place whenever we are nearby, as I know we are sure to find some Northern food treasure.

This trip I came across maslin flour, a Medieval English blend which is a combination of wheat and rye flour from a local Cumbrian mill (Little Salkeld Watermill). It sounded interesting, so I bought a bag with our new found love of bread making in mind. However yesterday, whilst contemplating Saturday brunch (with one hungover husband), I thought I’d give our usual ‘pancake, bacon and maple syrup’ combo a revamp. Cue our new Medieval flour. The result were incredibly delicious, fluffy yet slightly nutty pancakes, that are low in gluten and light. I’m a maslin flour convert.

 

 

RYE AND BANANA PANCAKES WITH BACON 

If you haven’t got maslin flour, try replacing with a 1/3 rye flour and 2/3 plain.

Makes 6 pancakes (for 2-3 people)

• A little olive oil
• 6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 large free range or organic egg, separated
• 120g maslin flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• A heaped teaspoon of poppy seeds
• 225ml semi-skimmed milk, ideally organic
• Maple syrup
• A grating of red chilli (optional)

Place a large non stick frying pan on a medium heat and drizzle in the olive oil. Lay out the bacon rashers and fry until golden and crisp.

Whilst the bacon is cooking make the pancake batter. Mash the banana in a large bowl with the egg yolk. Mix in the poppy seeds, salt, baking powder and maslin flour (don’t worry if the banana sticks in clumps). Whisk in the milk until smooth – the batter should be thick but pourable. In a separate clean bowl whisk the egg white until stiff peaks and then using a large metal spoon fold into the flour mixture. (I find it easiest to start with one spoon of the egg white, to loosen, then folding in the rest).

When the bacon is cooked, push to the side of the pan to keep warm and spoon ladles of the batter into the pan. Cook the pancakes in batches, until golden on one side and then flip over to cook through. Serve with the crispy bacon, a generous drizzle of maple syrup and a grating of red chilli, if you like.