Russian Kefir Pancakes Oladi Recipes

OLADI (RUSSIAN KEFIR PANCAKES)

Steps:

• 1. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, lightly beat eggs and whisk in kefir. 2. Add dry ingredients to the kefir mixture, all at once, and stir to combine. Don't over-whisk: A few lumps are to be expected. 3. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat (a 12-inch skillet will hold four pancakes; use multiple skillets or cook in batches). Add enough oil to slick the surface, and decrease the heat to medium-low or low: These need time to cook through as the surface browns. 4.Using a measuring cup or ladle, add 1/4-cup portions of batter to the pan. Cook slowly, as with typical pancakes: until bubbles form on the top surface and the batter begins to lose its gloss, and until the pancakes are golden brown on one side (this may take 3-4 minutes). Flip, and repeat on other side. When gently touched, cooked oladi should feel soft and springy, not wet inside. Adjust heat as necessary to keep the pancakes from browning too quickly. 5. If cooking in batches, place cooked pancakes on a plate loosely covered with foil and keep warm in a 150-degree oven, or serve them as they come out of the pan. Serve plain or with sour cream, jam or honey.

RUSSIAN KEFIR PANCAKES (OLADI)

Steps:

• Whisk 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour, kefir, egg, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl to make a batter.
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Heat oil in the skillet. Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons of the batter into the skillet for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the surface, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with remaining batter.

OLADI (RUSSIAN PANCAKES)

Steps:

• Mix yeast with warm milk, add flour and blend until smooth. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place (for about 2 hours). If using the oven/stove for other cooking, you can turn on one burner at very low heat, just enough to create some heat. Put the dough in a bowl, covered with a thin washcloth on the adjacent unlit burner or in the center of the stove to rise. It will also rise at room temperature, but works better warm.
• Mix eggs, salt and sugar and 1 tablespoon oil into the dough and allow to rise again (for about 1/2 hour). Without mixing dough again, use a wet spoon to spoon out portions of dough onto a greased hot pan. Dollop out with a soup spoon, the pancakes are small. About the size of a sand-dollar or teacup circumference. They rise like blini, but unlike blini are not thin, they should rise about 2-3cm tall.
• Cook on both sides until golden brown.
• Serve immediately with preserves and sour cream (or creme fraiche). Also good with honey, farmer's cheese or fresh fruit and sugar. Or any combo you like!