Buttermilk-Potato “Pizza” Waffles
When it comes to breakfast breads, pancakes are fun, crepes are elegant, and waffles are luxurious. I say “luxurious” because waffles are far more time-consuming to make than pancakes and crepes. Then again, waffles are the best reheaters, so you can make a week’s worth of breakfasts at once and then just pop a waffle in the toaster oven each day. And the cooking time for waffles is hands-off — just walk away and let the iron do the cooking for you.
These waffles were inspired partly by my recent yearnings for an extra-buttery homemade waffle and partly because we’re coming up on National Waffle Week. (Hey, any excuse for a waffle, right?) And in the spirit of versatility, I opted to make these waffles rich rather than sweet, thus making them ideal for maple-drizzled breakfasts and savory, open-sandwich-like lunches. The tiny mozzarella balls I had on hand were perfect to drop into the waffle squares; so were the roasted cherry tomatoes.
Those are just suggestions, though — feel free to do whatever you like with your waffle, from sweet (maple syrup, fruit, honey, etc.) to savory (plain Greek yogurt, soft goat cheese, thinly sliced meat, avocados, thinly sliced onions, etc.) or a mixture of both. You could even use the quarters as sandwich halves. Or you might decide to enjoy these ultra-buttery waffles straight out of the waffle iron just as they are: slightly crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle, and scrumptious all the way through.
Buttermilk-Potato “Pizza” Waffles
Makes about seven 8″ Belgian-style waffles.
1 stick butter, preferably from grass-fed cows (Kerrygold is a great choice)
1/2 cup brown rice flour*
1/2 cup sorghum flour*
1/2 cup corn flour* OR masa harina*
1/2 cup potato flour* (not potato starch!)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. sea salt
2 cups non-low-fat buttermilk, preferably from grass-fed cows
1 1/2 cups water (if you’re forced to buy a non-whole-milk version of buttermilk, use 3 1/2 cups of buttermilk instead of diluting it with any water — low-fat buttermilk is terribly thin, whereas as true buttermilk is thick and even a bit lumpy)
2 egg whites**, preferably from pastured hens
3 whole eggs, preferably from pastured hens
Coconut oil or melted butter for greasing the waffle iron
Plug in your waffle iron and set it to medium. Let it heat while you whip up the batter.
Place the butter in a small saucepan over the lowest heat setting on your stove. Let it slowly melt while you whisk together the flours, baking powder and soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, water, egg whites, eggs, and melted butter. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ones, whisking well to combine. (The batter will be thick, so switch to a wooden mixing spoon if you like.) If you’re making wheat-based waffles, use a spoon to stir the wet ingredients into the dry ones and only stir until just blended.
Spoon a little oil onto each quarter of the waffle iron and turn it over to evenly disperse the oil. Re-open the iron and scoop about 1 cup of batter onto the iron, using a spatula or knife to scrape out the cup measure if needed. Close, turn the maker over again, and let cook for 7 minutes, flipping back over about 2 minutes before the 7 minutes are up. You should now have a beautifully golden waffle! Use a heat-proof spatula and a fork to delicately wiggle the waffle up and free from the iron: first gently pull up on one side from the bottom with the fork, then slide the spatula underneath the waffle and lift up while still pulling gently up with the fork. Re-grease the iron again with oil — be sure to flip the iron to disperse the oil! — before doing the next waffle. Grease between each waffle to prevent sticking.
Serve waffles immediately or let cool on a wire rack. Waffles can be refrigerated for up to a week (or frozen for several months) and then reheated in the toaster oven. If you’d like to make this “pizza”-style waffle, top with roasted tomatoes and tiny mozzarella balls rolled in dried Italian herbs.
Enjoy!
* These are gluten-free flours. If you’d like to make wheat-based waffles instead, use a total of 2 cups of spelt, kamut, and/or whole-wheat flour. I would highly advise only substituting for the brown rice and sorghum, though (therefore using only 1 cup of wheat flour), because the corn and potato lend the waffles a deep, savory flavor. Corn flour and potato flour can be found in the baking aisle or specialty diet/gluten-free section of most well-stocked grocery stores.
** Extra egg yolks can be placed into a small dish, covered with cool water, and refrigerated for up to 2 days for another use. Try adding them to homemade ice cream, smoothies (IF you don’t mind consuming your yolks raw, which I would only do if you get your fresh eggs directly from a farmer or from your own hen), cookie dough, or custards. Or go the savory route and make your own aioli or mayonnaise (ditto on the raw yolk thing).
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Tags: Belgian waffles, buttermilk, coconut oil, gluten-free, mozzarella, pizza, potato flour, roasted tomatoes, sandwich, waffle iron
