Discover the taste of France: Make your own bourriol pancakes
The French cuisine excels in pancakes. In a country famous for wine and cheese, you can find them in many restaurants or purchase them from a street stall. Besides classic crêpes, you can also come across another equally delicious version of this iconic dish.
France is renowned for its culinary diversity. Many people associate it with frog legs, snails, and baguettes, but there is also room for pancakes. Each region has its unique variation, and in Cantal, it's bourriol. This dish impresses with its simplicity and rich flavour, which can satisfy even the most discerning palates. However, you don't need to travel to France to enjoy this delicacy - you can recreate its taste in your own kitchen.
How to prepare bourriol?
The secret is buckwheat flour, which gives it a characteristic, slightly nutty flavour and a darker colour. If you're looking for an alternative to traditional pancakes, bourriol will surely appeal to you.
Ingredients:
- 120 grams of plain flour,
- 240 grams of buckwheat flour,
- 1 teaspoon of sourdough starter or 1 teaspoon of baking powder,
- 700 millilitres of buttermilk,
- a pinch of salt,
- oil for frying.
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, combine the plain flour with the buckwheat flour in a 1:2 ratio.
- Add the sourdough starter or use baking powder.
- Gradually add buttermilk, stirring until you achieve a consistency slightly thicker than traditional pancake batter.
- Allow the batter to rest for at least one hour, preferably overnight.
- Heat a pan and grease it with oil.
- Pour portions of the batter onto the pan and cook the pancakes on both sides until golden brown.
How to serve buckwheat flour pancakes?
Bourriol tastes best in the evening, served with a light salad. It's the perfect combination for a light yet satisfying meal. Bourriol is often served with local cheeses such as Cantal or Saint-Nectaire and cold cuts. In the past, it was eaten plain, like bread.
French buckwheat pancakes can also be served sweet, for example, with melted butter, cream, and blueberries.
Homemade buckwheat flour
If you can't find buckwheat flour in shops but are tempted by French bourriol, make it yourself at home.
- Choose white (unroasted) or roasted buckwheat groats, depending on your flavour preference. White groats will give a milder flour, while roasted ones will provide a more intense, nutty flavour.
- Pour the groats into a coffee grinder or blender. Grind on high speed for a few minutes until you achieve a flour-like consistency. If you're using a blender, you may need to stop and mix the groats several times to get evenly ground flour.
- If you want very fine flour, you can sift it through a sieve.
- Store the buckwheat flour in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
