Flakiest Chinese Scallion Pancakes 葱油饼

Step 1

Make dough and let rest. Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Create a well in the center of the flour and drizzle in hot water, mixing with a pair of chopsticks until large flakes form. Add cold water, a bit at a time, stirring to incorporate the dry flour on the sides of the bowl, until a ball of dough forms.  You may need to add more water depending on your flour, but you want the dough to be soft and still slightly sticky. Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Brush ball of dough with a thin layer of oil to prevent it from drying out, and cover and let rest for at least 30 minutes. For the best results, chill dough overnight in the refrigerator.

Step 2

Make oil paste. In the meantime, chop scallions and add to a heat-resistant bowl along with the flour, optional spices (Sichuan ground pepper or five-spice) and salt. In a small saucepan, heat oil over the stove until shimmering, then pour into the bowl. The oil will sizzle as it hits the spices and the scallions, releasing the aromatics. Stir to form a thin paste.

Step 3

Shape and coil dough. Remove rested dough from bowl and divide into 6 equal portions.  You'll be working on one portion at a time; return the remaining portions to the bowl so they don't dry out. On a clean surface, roll out the first portion into a large rectangular sheet, as thin as possible without the dough breaking. Take a dollop of the oil & scallion paste and smear an even layer onto the surface of the dough using a pastry brush (or a spoon). Coil the dough following one of the six methods I describe in the blogpost above. Repeat for remaining five portions and let them rest for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Roll flat into pancakes. Flatten each coiled ball into a thin, 1/4-thick circle with the rolling pin.

Step 5

Freezer option: At this point, you may freeze the pancakes. I usually just cook one or two, and save the rest for the future. Stack the uncooked pancakes on top of each other with wax or parchment paper between, and place in a large freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to a month.

Step 6

Cook the pancakes. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Brush a layer of oil on the surface of a nonstick pan, then reduce heat to medium-low. Lay one pancake flat onto the hot surface, then cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown. Uncover lid and flip the pancake, then cover again and cook for another 2 minutes. At this point, check both sides and cook for longer if necessary (this time without lid), flipping once or twice until the pancake is crispy and a deep golden brown. Before removing from pan, you can roughly shove the pancake with two spatulas to loosen the layers. Brush the pan with a new layer of oil and cook the next pancake.

Step 7

Cut scallion pancakes into segments or serve whole. Enjoy!