Equipment
Ingredients
Produce
- 300 g butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 5 g fresh sage, finely chopped
Wet Ingredients
- 180 ml buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 40 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
Dry Ingredients
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g baking powder
- 2 g baking soda
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Cooking and Garnish
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 100 g sour cream
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 62 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 7 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 107 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 16 mg
- Potassium
- 77 mg
- Calcium
- 37 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 8 mg
- Phosphorus
- 29 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 95 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.03 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 7 mcg
- Water
- 24 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Spread the diced butternut squash evenly on a baking sheet and roast until completely tender, about 30 minutes.
Transfer the hot roasted squash to a medium mixing bowl and mash vigorously until it forms a smooth puree. Measure out exactly 200g of the puree and allow it to cool for a few minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cooled squash puree, buttermilk, egg, and melted unsalted butter until well blended and uniform.
Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, black pepper, and chopped fresh sage directly into the wet ingredients.
Use a spatula to gently fold the mixture together until just combined. Do not overmix; a few lumps are acceptable. Let the batter rest undisturbed for 10 minutes.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt a small knob of the reserved cooking butter and swirl to coat the surface evenly.
Drop 1-tablespoon portions of batter into the skillet, leaving space between them. Cook until bubbles begin to appear on the surface and the edges look set and dry, about 2 minutes.
Flip the pancakes using a spatula and cook the second side until deeply golden brown and cooked through the center, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a warm plate and repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter to the pan as needed.
Arrange the warm pancakes on a serving platter. Top each with a small dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche if using, and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Roasting the squash rather than steaming or boiling it is crucial. Roasting evaporates excess water and concentrates the natural sugars, which prevents the pancake batter from becoming runny and diluting the buttermilk flavor.
- For perfectly uniform hors d'oeuvres, use a small spring-loaded cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon capacity) to portion the batter into the pan quickly and neatly.
- To fry whole sage leaves for an elegant garnish, sizzle them in hot butter for 10 seconds until crisp, then drain immediately on paper towels.
- Buttermilk is acidic, which reacts with the baking soda to create lift. If you must substitute the buttermilk, combine 170ml of whole milk with 10ml of lemon juice, and let it curdle for 5 minutes before using.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to an airtight freezer bag.
Reheating: Reheat directly from frozen in a 175°C/350°F oven for 8-10 minutes, or toast lightly in a wide-slot toaster.
Troubleshooting
Pancakes are dense and gummy inside
Cause: The batter was overmixed, developing too much gluten, or the squash puree held too much water.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooked.
Prevention: Fold the wet and dry ingredients together strictly until no dry flour streaks remain. Roast the squash rather than boiling it to minimize water content.
Outside burns before the center is cooked
Cause: The skillet temperature is too high.
Fix: Lower the heat immediately. Transfer undercooked pancakes to a baking sheet and bake at 175°C/350°F for 3-5 minutes to finish cooking the centers.
Prevention: Maintain medium to medium-low heat, adjusting the burner as the heavy pan retains heat across multiple batches.
Cultural Context
Savory pancakes exist in nearly every culinary tradition globally, functioning as vehicles for seasonal ingredients. This specific recipe borrows the chemical leavening techniques of a classic American buttermilk breakfast pancake but recontextualizes it into a savory hors d'oeuvre. By introducing quintessential fall ingredients like sage and butternut squash, the dish becomes an excellent crossover item for autumn celebrations like Thanksgiving.
