(2 recipes)
There is a lot to be said for pancakes: they are cheap, quick, filling, tasty, popular and immensely versatile.
In Ireland they are often served on the last Tuesday before Lent; in the USA they are a popular breakfast, in France a dessert, and everywhere a sustaining light meal for children.
One of my children liked pancakes so much that he wanted to make his own, at about the age of 9.
For him I evolved the first, extremely simple recipe, based on an ordinary teacup that we had in the house. Still do - they're Pyrex- virtually indestructible!
The second version was developed when I was minding children and they came in ravenous from school. A pancake with a rasher of bacon, perfect warming food to keep them going all afternoon.
VERY SIMPLE PANCAKE RECIPE (Child-Friendly)
Use a common teacup (or a measuring cup, or measuring jug.)
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Put 1 full teacup of plain flour into a large bowl
Add a pinch of salt
Make a hollow in the middle with a wooden spoon
Break an egg into the hollow; stir it round just a little bit to break it up
Gradually stir into the egg-hollow
1 full cup of milk...(use the same cup.)
..and half a cup of cold water,
Stir round and round until all the liquid has picked up all the flour. Mix it all up well.
Leave it to stand in its bowl for ten minutes while you get the other things ready:
(leave it longer or even for hours or overnight if you want - this improves both texture and taste)
Then heat a pan, grease it with an Oil-well, and cook the pancakes the way your mother showed you.
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After-school pancakes
Sieve together 10 oz plain flour (This is 2 brim-full teacups, see previous recipe)
with half a teaspoon of salt, into a large wide bowl
stir in a good handful of brown flour (wholemeal)
make a hollow in the middle.
Break 2 eggs into the hollow, mix round a little to start.
Liquid
in a measuring jug, mix together 100 ml of natural yogurt, 200 ml of milk, and 200 ml of water. whisk together to mix.
Add this liquid gradually to flour mixture, stirring into the egg-hollow, gradually picking up the flour as you go round and round. Finally whisk briefly to get out lumps. Leave to stand for an hour if possible
To use
Stir, add a little more milk if it has become too stiff.
Medium heat under pan, heat pan.
Grease with an oilwell (see below) and pour in a ladleful of batter; it should lightly hiss. Watch until the edges go dry-looking for 5 mm, then turn carefully or toss, etc. Keep warm to serve.
The first pancake is always a dud #natural law
(This is a slightly thicker and more substantial pancake than the usual "crepe" kind so you may make them just a little smaller and thicker than the dessert kind, if you wish.)
Protect the counter with newspaper and soak utensils promptly - pancake batter for some reason hardens on and is quite hard to wash off if left to dry on.
Great with a rasher of bacon, grated cheese, applesauce, chocolate spread or any other favourite topping.
What is an oil-well?
Pour a tablespoonful of cooking oil into the dear old teacup.
Fold a tissue or piece of kitchen paper into a strip, then into a wad: grip one upper edge with a clothes peg to be the handle. Use this to rub a layer of oil lightly over your pan between pancakes.
