Matafans with Fresh Herbs, Sour Cream & Bacon

Because of the beaten egg whites in the batter, you’ll need to cook the whole batch of matafans in one session. Store leftovers layered between paper towels and wrapped in plastic. To reheat, put them in a dry skillet over medium heat until warm and crisp, about 1 min. per side.

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp. table salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted; plus another-1/4-cup for the pan
• 2 Tbs. mixed chopped fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley, chives, chervil, or tarragon; more for garnish, if you like
• 6 slices crisp cooked bacon, crumbled

In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and heavy cream. Refrigerate.

Put the flour in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add the egg yolks. Break them up and gradually whisk them in, along with the buttermilk, just until combined (there will still be a few small lumps); don’t overwhisk or the cakes will be tough. Add the salt and the 1/4 cup melted butter and whisk to combine; it will look like lumpy pancake batter. Stir in the herbs.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Gently whisk about one-quarter of the whites into the batter to lighten it and then gently fold in the rest with a rubber spatula.

Heat 1 tsp. butter in an 8-inch nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Scoop about 1/3 cup batter into the middle of the pan and immediately nudge it with a heatproof rubber spatula toward the edge of the pan so it spreads to about 1/4 inch thick. When the first side is browned and crisp around the edges, after about 1 to 2 min., flip the matafan. Cook to brown and crisp the other side, 1 to 2 min. Wipe out the pan with a wadded paper towel and cook the remaining batter the same way.

Serve immediately, topped with a spoonful of the sour cream mixture, the crumbled bacon, and fresh herbs, if you want. You can hold the cooked matafans in a 200°F oven, layered between paper towels on a baking sheet, until you’ve cooked the entire batch, 20 to 30 min.