“I am literally a popover whisperer,” writes author and culinary whiz Jessie Sheehan in her book Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes: 100 Easy-Peasy, Savory Recipes for 24/7 Deliciousness. And since we love this lighter, crispier, hollow sister-snack to the humble muffin, we’re all ears.
To back up her claim, Sheehan explains exactly what sets her olive oil and black pepper popover apart. “Nonfat milk makes for the crispiest of popovers (but you can substitute whole), AND room temperature ingredients are key for tall popovers (the milk can be warmed in the microwave — no judgment).” Crispy, tall popovers do pair incredibly well with a judgment-free environment, after all.
“Resting your batter for 30 to 60 minutes or overnight also results in statuesque popovers,” Sheehan continues, “but honestly, resting is just too fussy for me.” Rest-free? Sounds like our kind of quick and easy recipe.
“Feel free to omit the black pepper and serve with salted butter and jam, if you’re feeling all breakfast-y,” Sheehan writes. And we’ll admit, it’s hard to choose between these tempting sweet and savory options. Clearly, the only solution is to make both.
Jessie Sheehan’s Olive Oil and Black Pepper Popovers
Makes 6 large popovers using a popover pan, or 12 smaller popovers using a 12-well muffin tin
Active time: 5 minutes
Bake time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (180 g) nonfat milk, at room temperature or warm
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F, position a rack in the lower third, and place a 6-well popover pan or 12-well muffin tin inside.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, and oil in a medium bowl until frothy. Add the flour, salt, and pepper and continue to whisk until combined, about 30 seconds. A few little lumps are fine. The batter should be thin and pourable.
- Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven with pot holder-clad hands and grease the wells with cooking spray. Equally divide the batter among the wells, filling each about half full.
- Bake for 30 minutes if using a popover pan; bake for 25 minutes if using a muffin tin. Do not open the oven for the entire baking period.
- Remove from the oven and immediately remove the popovers from the pan or tin, poking each with a wooden skewer to release steam. Serve immediately.
Excerpted from Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes © 2024 by Jessie Sheehan, reprinted by permission of Countryman Press, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Co., Inc. All rights reserved.
