Pancakes for Shrove Tuesday

Have your frying pans ready - it's Pancake Day!

This is the traditional pancake for Shrove Tuesday, the annual pre-Lenten treat, which is almost the size of a dinner plate, heavy enough to sink a battleship if made too thick, and tastes best if fried in lard.  Make sure you use a clean frying pan that has not previously been used for frying onions or garlic.  Children will taste a rogue flavour in a trice and complain loudly.

Ingredients (sufficient for at least 6 pancakes)

4oz (125 gr) plain flour

A pinch of salt

Half a pint (300 ml) whole milk

2 eggs

Lard or sunflower oil for frying

Lemon slices and sugar to serve

Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl, add a pinch of salt, and make a well in the middle.

Beat the eggs...

... and add them to the milk.

Fill the well with some of the milk and egg mixture, and start mixing in the flour to make the batter.  To prevent lumps forming, keep the whisk in the centre of the well. 

Add the rest of the milk and egg mixture gradually as the flour becomes incorporated into the batter.

Once the batter is mixed it should be left to stand for at least an hour before frying the pancakes.

Approximately a ladleful of batter will cover the base of 10 inch frying pan.

When it comes to turning the pancake, softies use a spatula, the blasé give a quick flick of the wrist and toss it a good foot into the air, and the truly barmy tie their pinny strings tight and elbow the opposition out of the way for a quick smacker from the verger.

Meanwhile, I am at home scoffing hot pancakes dripping with lemon juice and sugar.

Linking up to Connie's blog Freemotion by the River for Linky Tuesday