Gluten-Free Buckwheat Groat Pancakes

• servings: 7 servings
• active time: 8 hours 5 minutes
• total time: 8 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (270 grams) hulled buckwheat groats

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Dried or dehydrated blueberries (optional)

2 dates, pitted

1/2 cup (120 milliliters) plain full-fat yogurt

1/2 cup (120 milliliters) milk, buttermilk, or almond milk

4 whole large eggs

2 large egg whites

2 ripe bananas

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Ghee or coconut oil, for cooking

Directions

Do ahead Add the buckwheat groats to a bowl with the apple cider vinegar and cover with 3 inches (7.5cm) of water. Let stand for 8 hours of overnight. In the morning, drain and rinse until the water runs clear.

Make the pancakes If using dried blueberries, soak them in warm water in a small dish to rehydrate for 10 minutes. Remove them from the water and squeeze them dry just before cooking.

Preheat the oven to 200°F (90°C) and place a baking sheet inside to keep your pancakes warm.

If your dates are leathery and tough, add them to a small dish and cover with hot water. Set aside for 5 minutes to soften and then discard the water (or add it to your iced tea as a natural sweetener). In a high-speed blender, combine the soaked and rinsed buckwheat, the yogurt, milk, eggs, egg whites, bananas, drained dates, salt, and almond extract and blend until smooth. Add the baking powder and the baking soda and pulse just to combine.

Place a 10-inch (25 cm) cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the ghee or coconut oil and swirl to coat the pan. Pour a ladle full of batter into the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface of the pancake and the batter begins to dry out (if using blueberries, add them to the pancake now). Flip the pancake and cook on the second side until golden brown. Adjust the heat as necessary and use additional ghee as needed to keep your pancakes cooking evenly. Transfer the pancakes to the oven as you go to keep them warm.

Serve with Greek yogurt, whipped ricotta, Macerated Meyer Lemon (page 207), Cacao Buckwheat Granola (page 276), or the labneh whipped cream filling from the banana cream pie (see page 80).