Childhood memories of food are always the best, I remember Jasmine (Nonna) always making these for me and the tradition followed on into our family. Every school holiday I seem to make pancake after pancake for the kids breakfast. I tend to get them to eat them outside or we set up a picnic tablecloth on the kitchen floor with all the toppings set in the middle.
Its a lovely time, the children all sit together, chatting, giggling and putting there individual tastes to their pancakes, I watch from the stove, loving knowing that they are all here safe under one roof and just happy in each others company.
Tastes vary from rolling the pancake up, to leaving them flat, to the simple & traditional lemon and sugar, to chocolate spread, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, maple syrup, ice cream, there have been so many combinations over the years, but its always messy.
1.25ml (1/4 level teaspoon) salt
1 egg
300ml (1/2 pint) milk
English Butter for frying (mixed with a little sunflower or vegetable oil to stop it burning)
You may want to double the above measurements or even triple them, as you will well know it was never enough & I always ended up having to make loads. You all held the record at one stage in your life as to who could eat the most, maybe you should all get together & see who would win now.
Sift the flour & salt into a bowl, make a well in the centre and add the egg.
Beat with a wooden spoon (I found a small hand whisk always worked better for this part).
Gradually add in the milk until all incorporated & smooth.
Heat the butter in a frying pan, running it around to coat & drain off any excess into your jug that you have mixed your butter & oil in.
Pour or ladle in enough mixture to cover thinly the bottom of your pan.
Cook until the pancake begins to move easily in the pan, ease round the edge of the pancake with a palette knife & when ready turn it over. It will only take a few seconds to brown the second side.
Serve immediately with your chosen topping, mine was always fresh squeezed lemon, lots of sugar & the pancake always had to be flat. Some of you rolled, some left them flat, toppings varied over the years. I remember Simon & Edward Harradine covering them in Ice Cream & Rosie-jayne having a feast of a pancake in Skopelos, but I always remember we had a lot of fun & there was always sugar everywhere.
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