B E B E R E

German Apple Pancake

(from the Vegetarian Epicure)

Pancake:

3 large eggs
3/4 c milk
3/4 c white flour
1/2 tsp salt
11/2 Tbs butter
1/2 cup thin-sliced apples (optional)

Filling:

1 lb tart, fresh apples
1/2 c melted butter
1/2 c sugar
cinnamon and nutmeg

Topping:

2 Tbs melted butter (optional)
powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Beat together the eggs, milk, flour and salt until very smooth. Add some sliced apples if desired. In a heavy 12 inch pan, melt the 11/2 T butter. Pour in the batter and put pan into oven. After 15 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for another 10 minutes. The pancake should be light brown and crisp.

During the first 10 or 15 minutes of baking, the pancake might puff up in large bubbles. If it does, pierce it throroughly with a fork.

While the pancake is baking, prepare the apple filling. Peel and thinly slice the pound of apples. Sauté them in the melted butter and sugar. season to taste with the cinnamon and nutmeg. The apples should be just slightly tender-not mushy.

When the pancake is ready, slide it onto an oval platter, pour the apples over one side and then fold the other side over. Pour melted butter over this and sprinkle on a bit of powdered sugar if you like.

I've also made this without the apples - just served it drizzled with butter and lemon juice and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

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Though this usually ends up as breakfast, I've made it for dinner a couple times and have even managed on rare occasions to share it with others for dessert.