Savory Apple Matafan | Baking Chez Moi

Dorie Greenspan got her inspiration for this apple matafan in her book Baking Chez Moi from the potato matafan, which was meant to stave off morning hunger for those working on the farm. As Dorie describes, a matafan is cross between a crêpe and a griddle cake. I have never seen or tasted one before. Meanwhile, I’m inspired to transform Dorie’s sweet version into a savory apple matafan. My concern is mostly dietary, wanting to reduce sugar consumption, especially for breakfast or brunch. Some fruits traditionally pair well with meat, like duck a l’orange or apple with pork. In that spirit, I set out to explore the crossovers between sweet and savory.

I only made half of the recipe because I’m experimenting with something new. The full ingredient list is the same as in Baking Chez Moi (page 341,) except for the elimination of sugar. Small amount of butter (1 tablespoon or 28 grams) is melt in milk (1/2 cup or 120 ml). The dry ingredients are: all-purpose flour (181 grams), baking powder (1 teaspoon) and salt ( 1/4 teaspoon). Working in a large bowl, whisk the eggs (3 large ones) until it thickens. Stir in Calvadors ( 1 tablespoon) or apple cider. Whisk in the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk-butter liquid mixture. Stir until you have a smooth batter. Finally add the thinly-sliced apple (from 3 medium apples).

Heat up a 10-inch nonstick or cast-iron pan. Add butter and oil until the butter is melted and the bubbling has subsided. Then pour in the batter. Turn down the heat immediately to the lowest setting.

To make the matafan savory: substitute goat cheese and walnuts for sugar

This is where my process differs from Dorie’s. Cook the matafan on the stovetop until the batter starts to set. Remove it from heat. Add the savory components. I chose chopped walnuts and goat cheese. Other vegetables and nuts like celery, fennel or pine nuts may also work well with apples. I sprinkled them sparingly over the top of the matafan. In retrospect, I should have covered the entire surface of the matafan like the way you do on a pizza pie. Flipping the cake is not necessary. The pan, topped with the savory additions, went into a preheated 350°F convection oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the goat cheese and walnuts took on some color.

If you like, you can turn over the matafan and finish cooking the other side on the stovetop, like a griddle cake. But I prefer using the oven since my convection oven comes to temperature very fast. Moreover, I am able to see how the savory additions are cooking in the oven. Another advantage is a better handle and control over the cooking time depending on the ingredients. Or, you can leave the second baking step at the very end, until you’re ready to serve.

The savory apple matafan has all the sweet, savory and tangy notes from the apples and cheese. The walnuts provide a satisfying crunch to the cake. I am not missing the sugar. Substituting cheese and walnut for sugar for breakfast is always a winner in my book.

The matafan is very easy to pack while you’re on the go, or hiking, biking or snow shoeing over a long distance. It’s not greasy (or sticky) since very little fat is used. The savory apple matafan is a tasty snack and a good source of quick energy.

Easy to grab one of these pancakes and enjoy while on the go.

See how other homecooks tackle the apple matafan, please visit Tuesdays-with-Dorie.