Gluten-Free Cauliflower Pancakes with Za’atar Aioli
Resembling the German staple, Potato Pancakes, these Cauliflower Pancakes are a lighter, gluten-free, and in my opinion more flavorful alternative. It is also one of my favorite ways to sneak vegetables onto my children’s plates.
Makes about 30 pancakes
Ingredients:
Pancakes
2 medium cauliflower heads
2 cloves of garlic
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs (I recommend Ener-G)
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 large eggs
Olive oil (for frying)
Za’atar Aioli
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons zatar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Directions:
Pancakes
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cauliflower into florets, spread out on baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes or until top of cauliflower is lightly browned.
Add garlic and half of roasted cauliflower to food processor and blend until smooth. Add remaining cauliflower, parsley, and dill. Pulse until mixture is slightly chunky and transfer into a large mixing bowl. Mix in gluten-free breadcrumbs, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix eggs, already beaten into bowl.
Form pancakes by flattening batter into 1 ½ inch round cakes. Add enough oil to a large skillet to coat the bottom generously. Over medium heat, drop each pancake into skillet (working in batches), adding oil as needed. Cook pancakes on each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper toweling to absorb the excess fat.
Za’atar Aioli
Combine mayonnaise, lemon zest, zatar, lemon juice, garlic, and hot sauce in medium size mixing bowl. By stirring, mix together all ingredients and serve in a dipping bowl.
Serve warm and crisp with a dollop of aioli. Any extra fully cooked pancakes can be placed in a single layer on a cookie sheet in the freezer until frozen, then stored in zippered plastic bags in the freezer. When ready to use, heat on cookie sheet in oven until crisp.