Whether it’s your first flip-fest away from home, or if over the years you’ve become a pro at peeling your housemates’ over-enthusiastic efforts off the ceiling, everyone should have access to a decent pancake recipe. Thus follows my mother’s trusty guide.

Basic Pancake Mix – makes 4-6 small pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• ¼ pint of milk
• Pinch of salt
• 4 heaped dessert spoons of plain flour
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar

 

Method

1. Put the eggs, milk and salt into the blender. Turn the blender onto low, add the flour through the plughole in the lid one spoonful at a time. Alternatively, beat enthusiastically with a fork or whisk.
2. Add the sugar, also through the plughole, replace the plug. Turn the blender onto full for approx 2 minutes.
3. Switch off the blender and let the mix stand for 20-30mins.
4. Heat a thick-based frying pan, adding just enough oil to cover the base of the pan. Add a ladleful of your mix to the pan, swirling until it sets.
5. After 2-3 mins, flip your pancake (always the best part!), cook on the opposite side for 30 seconds – 1 minute.

 

 

At this point, most of us are pretty occupied with covering our pancakes in lemon and sugar, chocolate spread, fruit, maple syrup…. However, for the more ambitious chefs out there, savoury pancakes are an excellent way to make an actual meal.

 

Savoury Pancakes

Ingredients

• Pancakes, as above (just don’t add the sugar and toss in some salt and pepper instead)
• Sauce – 1 small chicken breast (100g)
• 2 closed cup mushrooms
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• ¼ pint milk
• 25g butter
• 25g flour
• Nutmeg

Optional extras:

•  Frozen peas
•  Chopped ham
•  1 finely chopped spring onion

Method

1. Make pancakes as above, leave to cool.
2. Dice and sauté the chicken, then set it aside.
3. Slice the mushrooms, then sauté them in a little butter, with a twist of black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Set aside also (put them with the chicken, why not. They can make friends).
4. Use the butter, flour and milk to make a basic white sauce. Melt the butter in a pan. Add the flour, stir together and allow to cook for 1 minute or so. Keep the pan on the heat. Add the milk a splash at a time, whisking the mixture each time you add a splash until it comes together. Once all the milk has been added, put in a dash of nutmeg and allow the sauce to briefly come to the boil, then remove from the heat.
5. Add all other ingredients to the pan and warm through in the sauce.
6. Fill the pancakes as you would fill any wrap, and tuck in!

 

Kathryn Kaiser