One of my fondest memories of Los Angeles and food is Dinah's. Dinah's is a fried chicken/apple pancake restaurant near Centinela and Sepulveda. It's an institution. The apple pancake was something I grew up with and still long for. Unfortunately, Dinah's is no longer what it once was, and our local Cafe 101 in Encinitas is now my favorite apple pancake. It's something most of us don't think of making at home. It sounds like it would be a hassle, but in reality it's easy to make and a great family treat for a Sunday breakfast.
Oven German Apple Pancake
2 T. butter
2 T. brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cooking apple, fuji, pippin or granny smith, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
3 eggs
dash of salt
1/2c. all purpose flour
1/2c. non fat milk
juice from 1 lemon+zest
2 tsp. powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in a heavy cast iron skillet over high heat. Add brown sugar and cinnamon, stirring. Add apple slices and cook until the apples start to soften. Turn off heat and arrange apples in a single layer on the bottom of the pan.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine beaten eggs, salt, flour and milk. Pour mixture over apples, spreading evenly. Bake in hot oven until pancake puffs up and is brown, about 15 minutes. Invert onto large plate, sprinkle with lemon juice and powdered sugar. Makes one 12-inch pancake, 2 good servings.
Exactly like Dinah’s! My husband was thrilled!
ReplyDeleteI have eaten these at Dinah's since they opened. I am now living in Georgia and will try this recipe which makes my mouth water. I am now 92 and not sure that I will make it back to get one. Leona
ReplyDeleteCraving a Dinahs apple pancake. Tried this recipe, but it turned out like a regular German apple pancake/Dutch baby. Nothing like Dinah's nor the picture above. The apples did not incorporate into the batter, so the bottom did not caramelize. What did I do wrong?
ReplyDeleteI’ve been going to Dinah’s since I was about ten. Fast forward (too fast) fifty five years. I went to their new location today. I picked up two Apps. Mind you, this has been going on for years and years. The Apple pancake I grew up loving is now more of a pancake with apples on top. I remember going there and talking to the manager and asking why they changed the recipe. He claimed they hadn’t. Well, if it was made with 4 (?) apples before, it’s now made with 1. It used to made to go in an actual pie tin and put in a pie box. Now it is prepared to go in a pizza box. Sure wish they’d admit it and return to a true deep dish apple pancake. I took pictures of their 2024 model and found pictures of the “real” one. I’ll go have a talk with them. Wish me luck!
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