Four Checked Squares

 

I’ve seen it called a puff oven pancake, or German pancake, but my favorite name for this dish is Dutch baby. Plop two tablespoons of unsalted butter into a pie plate and stick it in the oven as it preheats to 400F. While the butter’s melting, whisk together two eggs, half a cup of flour, half a cup of milk, and a dash of salt. Open the oven door and swish the butter around to coat the pie pan. (Wear an oven mitt! That sucker’s HOT!) Pour the batter into the pie pan and close the oven door. Twenty-five to thirty minutes later, it will have magically turned itself into a tall, golden, crunchy, delicious bowl! We fill this bowl with fresh berries, sliced bananas and walnuts, apple pie filling and whipped cream, you name it. There’s usually enough to split two or three ways, but if you want to eat the whole thing by yourself, I won’t judge.