A highly spiced breakfast sausage accents the sweet apple and mild potato flavors of these thick and substantial waffles. Try them for breakfast with just a drizzle of maple syrup and a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice.
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, melted
6 ounces cooked pork or turkey breakfast sausage, crumbled
½ cup peeled, chopped, cooked potatoes
½ cup peeled, grated apple
Maple syrup, for topping
Chopped apples, for topping
Preheat the oven to 200°F. Preheat a waffle iron. In a medium-size bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, egg yolks, and butter. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring with a few quick strokes to form a lumpy batter. Stir in the sausage, potatoes, and apples.
In another medium-size bowl, using an electric mixer set at high, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, gently and thoroughly fold the egg whites into the batter.
Lightly spray or grease the grids of the waffle iron. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, or spoon about ⅓ cup batter (amount varies with size of iron) onto the hot iron and spread it almost to the corners of the grids. Close the lid and bake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the waffles are golden brown, their edges look dry, and they do not stick to the grids. Transfer the waffles to the oven, placing them directly on the rack so they will stay crisp. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Transfer the waffles to warmed serving plates and top each serving with syrup and apples. Makes 8 to 10 waffles.