Thin & Crispy Pancakes [Recipe]

INGREDIENTS

This recipe makes pancakes that are thin and crispy yet substantial enough to hold a filling.

450 ml | 1 pint whole milk*, plus extra if needed
165 g | 6 oz plain flour (all-purpose flour)
4 medium eggs
Rapeseed (canola) oil or sunflower oil, for frying.

*I prefer to use whole milk in my pancakes. Reduced-fat milk (2.5%) also works well. However, using milk with a lower fat content will alter the consistency of the batter resulting in a less crispy pancake.

METHOD

1. Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk using a metal or electric whisk until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. You can also do this in a blender or food processor. I use the beaker that came with my stick-blender, using the stick-blender itself to quickly create a smooth batter. The batter should be roughly the consistency of double (whipping) cream. The size of your eggs can impact the consistency slightly. If your batter seems a little thick then add some extra milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the consistency of double cream.
2. Transfer the batter to a pouring jug or beaker. Purists would dictate that the batter should now rest for at least one hour before use. I rarely do this and my pancakes are always delicious. However, if you have the time to spare, it certainly does no harm.
3. Heat a cast-iron or heavy-bottomed frying pan over a high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. When the oil begins to smoke, lift the pan off the heat and pour some of the batter into the centre of the pan, rotating the pan as you pour to distribute the batter. Use just enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan in a thin, even layer.
4. Put the pan back on the heat and cook until the top has set and the edges start to curl away from the pan – about 1 minute.
5. Using a spatula, flip the pancake and cook on the other side for about 45 seconds.
6. Once the pancakes are set on each side you can continue to cook them, flipping every 30 seconds or so, until they reach your desired level of doneness. I like mine just starting to turn golden, with crisp edges but with the centre still soft enough to roll without cracking. I achieve this using 1 minute + 45 seconds as indicated above. However, different cookers and pans can vary the results considerably, so you will need a little patience cooking the first few pancakes until you find what works for you. Take a note of the timing for subsequent pancakes.
7. Turn the pancake out onto a plate and continue cooking the next pancake.
8. In our house pancakes get devoured as soon as they are cooked, while they are still hot and crispy. However, if you prefer you can cook the entire batch, stacking the pancakes on a plate, and either serve cold or reheat each pancake for a few seconds on a hot pan before serving.

TOPPING SUGGESTIONS
Options for topping pancakes are endless – let your imagination go wild! Here are a few suggestions to get the ball rolling.

1. The traditional topping in Ireland is a sprinkling of white sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice.
2. Maple syrup is fantastic with pancakes, either on its own or atop melted cheese, such as cheddar or Monterey Jack, or with crispy, fried bacon.
3. A spoonful of Nutella and some sliced banana makes a dessert-like treat.
4. When we were kids my mother would serve savoury pancakes filled with chicken and mushroom in a cream sauce as our main meal before the sweet pancakes.
5. This year I’ll be having sour cream and caviar, a Russian tradition that has travelled to Lithuania (though not specifically for Užgavėnės).
   I tried these while taking the photos for this post. The salty pop of the caviar coupled with the sourness of the cream and the crisp, hot pancake really does make for a marvellous mouthful.