PANCAKES - SHROVE TUESDAY

For century's throughout the world, Christian community's have been celebrating the Tuesday before lent. In the Catholic communities of the Americas Mardi Gras is one such festival, closer to home it is called shrove Tuesday but more commonly known to us as pancake day. Traditionally pancakes were served with a meat based stew on the day before lent, now days you are more likely to find the sweet and sour combination of lemon juice and sugar. Possibilities for fillings are endless as pancakes can brace the worlds of sweet and savoury. Here is my Pancake recipe, which incidentally is a good time to get tossing, that is pancakes of course!

THE RECIPE;

Makes 4 thick or 6 thin pancakes.

150g plain flour(sieved)

350ml whole milk

1 large egg(preferably free range)

pinch of salt

1 tsp of oil

METHOD;

Sieve the flour and add the milk. whisk to combine and break in the egg, whisk again until all ingredients are nice and smooth and the consistency of thick cream. Season with a pinch of salt.Heat a non stick pan/skillet with the teaspoon of oil, swirl this around the pan. Once hot pour a quarter of the batter into the pan and make sure that it covers the whole of the base, after a minute loosen the edges with a spatula, give the pan a shake. If you are a tosser it makes life a little easier at this point as a good flick of the wrist will turn the pancake. If you are not a tosser, you will have to find away of turning the pancake over, if this fails you could place the pan under a hot grill till slightly coloured. Once the pancake is slightly brown it is cooked.Turn each pancake onto a plate, if desired serve with lemon wedges and a sprinkling of sugar, or alternatively serve with a nice fruit jam.

NOTES;
If you desire less oil, place 1 tsp of oil , once hot give the pan a very light wipe with a kitchen towel, but please be careful of your fingers.