Anguillian Johnnycake

About This Recipe

Johnnycakes are a staple across the Eastern Caribbean. Anguilla's version uses a mixture of flour and fine cornmeal, fried until golden and eaten warm with butter, saltfish, or on their own. This anguillian johnnycake is shaped by the home cooks who refined it across generations, balancing tradition with everyday practicality. The aroma at the table — warm, inviting, a little buttery — is exactly what a good morning calls for. Home cooks return to it because the technique is forgiving once the order of operations clicks: build aromatics first, season in layers, and let time do the heavy lifting. The result lands somewhere between everyday and special — humble enough for a weeknight, generous enough for company.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 1.5 cupsall-purpose flour
• 0.5 cupfine cornmeal
• 2 tspbaking powder
• 1 tspsugar
• 0.5 tspsalt
• 0.5 cupwater(or enough to form a soft dough)

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix dough

   Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add water gradually and knead until a soft, non-sticky dough forms.

2. 2

   Shape

   Divide into 8 balls; flatten each to about 1 cm thick rounds.

3. 3

   Fry

   Heat 2 cm of oil in a skillet to 175 °C. Fry rounds 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden.

   Don't crowd the pan.

4. 4

   Drain and serve

   Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Variations

• •

  Add a tablespoon of butter to the dough for richness.

• •

  Bake at 200 °C for 15 minutes for a lighter version.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten fresh; store airtight at room temperature up to 1 day.

Frequently Asked Questions