Banana Fritters

For some time now, I've been wanting to make a recipe I haven't made in quite awhile. It was something my mother would often make on the weekends when my sisters and I were kids. I think it was a recipe she had grown up with as well. Around the time I left home (I can't recall if it was when I went off to college or after I graduated from college), my mom gave me a small red binder with a few recipes that she had typed out — family recipes that she wanted to pass on. I'm pretty sure each of my sisters has something similar as well.

One of the recipes was for Banana Fritters. Now, I'm not a big fan of bananas, certainly not in their native form. Too mushy. But I like Banana Bread, and I like Banana Fritters.

Basically, Banana Fritters are little pancakes with banana slices in them. Generally, I am not a big pancake eater — they're rather carby. But as I said, I've been thinking that it would be fun to make them again. I see the recipe every time I make cornbread muffins — it's on the same page.

So a couple days ago, I announced to my husband that for breakfast on Monday I would be making Banana Fritters.

I departed somewhat from the traditional recipe, however, to suit some individual preferences, substituting coarse cornmeal (polenta) for half the flour and using buttermilk instead of plain milk. And they turned out just fine. They may not be the prettiest meal in the world, but they are tasty!

  

Banana Fritters (revised)

Serves 2.

1/4 cup flour (I used whole wheat)

1/4 cup coarse cornmeal

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/8 cup buttermilk

1 egg

2 bananas (this is a really good way to use bananas that are past their prime)

Mix flour, cornmeal and salt; add milk gradually. Beat egg and add.

Slice 2" pieces of banana in half and stir gently into batter.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large pan. Spoon banana pieces into pan and brown on both sides. (They are ready to turn over when the edges start looking dry.)

Serve with honey or syrup.