Rhode Island Jonny Cakes or Hoe Cakes

Thanks to Chef Phillip and Malinda, of Professor Chef in North Providence, Rhode Island, for sharing this historic recipe with us for Cooking Across America.

Serves 6–8

Rhode Islanders take their Jonny cakes so seriously that they hold baking and eating contests every year. The original cakes were made from ground dry Indian corn (maize) kernels. The slaves working in the fields would prepare these and sear them on the flat side of a hoe, which was heated by the sun or over a fire.

2 cups boiling water

4 cups stone-ground white cornmeal

1 teaspoons. kosher salt

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ –1 cup molasses

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan on the stove; mix it into the cornmeal

in a large bowl. Add salt, butter, and molasses; mix thoroughly.

Dough should be quite stiff. (If necessary, add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until the consistency is right. If you only use ½ cup of molasses, you will likely need to add some water.)

Spread the dough in a thin layer on the bottom of your griddle or frying pan, pressing down to spread out the dough and to make the cake as thin as possible. Set a griddle or frying pan on medium heat. Prick all over with a fork to aid in cooking the center of the cake.

When the cake begins steaming up through the holes, it is probably cooked on the underside, so loosen it from the pan, flip it onto a plate, and then slide it back into the pan to cook the other side.

Once finished cooking, these can be stacked on a plate. Serve immediately with butter or honey.