Scallion Pancakes

For Saturday June 7, I made scallion pancakes. While you could probably make this with any elastic bread dough, the dough I used was one of my favorites and is quite delicious. It is a bit of work, but many of you have asked for the recipe, so here it is. NOTE: This will make FOUR recipes worth of the scallion pancakes (recipe following the dough recipe). You can either make 1/4 of the dough or you can refrigerate or freeze the extra dough for easy scallion pancakes at a later date. By the way, it is called cracker dough because it also makes really awesome crackers. It is called Blue Ginger because it is Ming Tsai's recipe (owner of Blue Ginger Restaurant and television chef).... Nori

Blue Ginger Cracker Dough ( Makes about 4 pounds of dough)

Lasts about 1 week, tightly wrapped and refrigerated, 3 to 4 weeks frozen

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

½ ounce (2 packages) active dry yeast

6½ cups bread flour

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1. Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, grind the cumin, coriander, fennel, and peppercorns and combine them in a medium bowl. Set aside.

2. In a 5-quart mixer bowl, or a very large bowl if working by hand, combine in this order the yeast, 2½ cups cold water, the flour, oil, garlic, and salt. Using a dough hook, mix at low speed until the flour’s gluten is fully developed and the dough is smooth and doesn’t tear easily when stretched, about 15 minutes. Remove the dough from the machine and knead in the spices. If working by hand, combine the yeast, flour, oil, and salt and mound the mixture on a work surface. With your fingers, make a well in the mixture. Add 2½ cups cold water to the well and, working with a pastry scraper or large fork, gradually incorporate the flour into the water, as if you were making fresh pasta. Work the dough into a rough ball and then knead in the garlic and the spice mixture. Continue to knead until the dough becomes smooth, 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Cover the dough with plastic wrap. If using immediately, allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Otherwise, refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

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Scallion Pancakes
Makes 4 pancakes

DIPPING SAUCE

1 tbs sambal oelek (spicy Indonesian sauce available in Asian stores)
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
1/4 c naturally brewed soy sauce

PANCAKES
1 Tbs Asian sesame oil (or any good toasted sesame oil)
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 lb Blue Ginger Cracker Dough
2 c scalllions
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil

1. To make the dipping sauce, combine the sambal, vinegar, and soy sauce in a small bowl and mix. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl combine the sesame and olive oils and set aside.

3. Flour a work surface and on it roll the dough into a rectangle 1/8 inch thick. Brush the dough with the oil mixture, sprinkle with the scallions, and season with salt and pepper.

4. Starting with one long side nearest you, roll the dough jelly-roll fashion to make a tight log. Cut the log into 4 equal pieces.

5. Roll 1 piece with your palms to make a skinnier log about 12 inch in diameter. Twist each end of the log in opposite directions 4 or 5 times (this will make additional pancake layers), then wrap the log around itself to make a coil, tucking the outside end beneath the coil. With a rolling pin, flatten the coil to 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with the remaining dough to make 3 more pancakes.

6. Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the grapeseed oil and swirl to coat the pan. Depending on the pan’s size, add 1 to 2 pancakes and cook until brown and crispy on both sides, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Cook the remaining pancakes. Slice each pancake into 4 wedges. Serve the pancakes with the dipping sauce.

Recipe provided by Nori Odoi