Pancake Soup: Austrian Comfort Food, Hearty And Delicious

Austrian pancake soup, or Frittaten Suppe, is a traditional Austrian dish that is typically made with leftover pancakes. The pancakes are sliced into thin strips and added to a bowl of broth. The soup is usually garnished with chives and sometimes sautéed vegetables. While the traditional recipe includes egg and milk in the batter, vegan alternatives use flour, salt, and water instead. The dish is similar to German pancake soup or Flädlesuppe, which is often served in the mountain huts of Austria and is made with beef broth or vegetable stock.

Making the pancake strips

Once you have your batter, heat up a frying pan and add a little oil or butter. Pour a few tablespoons of batter into the pan, working quickly to turn the pan so that the batter coats the pan evenly but not too thickly. Cook slowly, loosening the edges with a knife, until the batter is set and lightly browned on the bottom. Then, turn the pancake and cook the other side. Repeat this process with the remaining batter.

Once your pancakes are cooked, allow them to cool. It is recommended that you leave them for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. Once cooled, roll up the pancakes and cut them into thin strips. The strips should be between the width of linguine and spaghetti.

Finally, place the strips into individual bowls and spoon over your chosen broth.

Preparing the broth

To prepare the broth, you can either use ready-made organic broth or make your own. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable stock or broth. If you want to make your own broth, you can boil down some greens and season with spices of your choice. Typically, you would use carrot, onion, and celery with the bones to make the stock, but you can vary this depending on what you have available.

If you are making your own broth, it is recommended to freeze the bones as you collect them, then use them when you are ready to make the soup. You can also use the peelings from other vegetables you have prepared for added flavour.

Once you have your broth, it is important to ensure it is hot when serving. You can then add the sliced pancakes and chives.

Combining the two

To make Austrian pancake soup, you'll first need to make the pancakes. Austrian pancakes are thin, more like crepes, and are usually made with eggs, milk, flour, and salt. However, vegan alternatives are also available, with some recipes substituting the eggs and milk with just flour, salt, and water.

Once you've made the batter, heat a medium-sized frying pan and add some oil or butter. Pour a few tablespoons of batter into the pan, working quickly to coat the pan evenly but not too thickly. Cook the pancake slowly, loosening the edges with a knife until it is set and lightly browned, then turn it over and cook the other side. Repeat this process with the remaining batter.

After the pancakes are cooked, allow them to cool and set for at least four hours or preferably overnight. Once cooled, roll up the pancakes and slice them into thin strips. The next step is to make the broth. While you can use ready-made broth, you can also make your own by boiling down some greens and refining them with spices of your choice. For a more traditional Austrian flavour, use beef broth or vegetable stock.

Finally, place the pancake strips into individual bowls and pour over the hot broth. Top with some chopped chives and serve. It is important to note that you should not cook the pancake strips in the broth, as they will lose their shape and texture.

Adding the finishing touches

The final step is to assemble your pancake soup. Start by rolling up the cooled pancakes and slicing them into thin strips. The ideal width is somewhere between linguine and spaghetti. Place the strips into individual bowls, ready for the broth.

Next, make your broth. This can be any clear broth, but it should not be creamy. A good quality, clear vegetable broth is a popular choice, but you could also use chicken or beef. If you want to make your own broth, simply boil down some greens and refine with spices of your choice.

Once your broth is hot, pour it over the pancake strips in the bowls. Top with chopped chives or parsley, and serve.

If you want to add more to the dish, you could include some lightly sauteed vegetables.

Storing leftovers

Another method is to freeze the pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring them to an airtight container. This method is useful if you want to remove only a few pancakes from the freezer at a time, rather than the entire batch.

Leftover pancakes can be reheated in a toaster, which will make the outside slightly crispy. They can also be reheated in a microwave, which is best for fluffy pancakes. To reheat fluffy pancakes, microwave a stack of them for about 60 seconds. If you're only reheating one or two pancakes, use 20-second increments for the best results.

Frequently asked questions