Shrove Tuesday Pancakes

Show: At Shakespeare's Table and February in Season

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hese pancakes are more like crêpes and less like American "flap jacks" because they have no leavening agent like baking powder. When it's not Shrove Tuesday, they also make an excellent light dessert with the traditional garnish of sugar and lemon.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups whole milk

Serve with
lemon wedges
granulated sugar
marmalade
jam
chocolate sauce

In a medium bowl, stir together flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and milk together until blended. Pour liquid into dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour in enough batter to create a wafer-thin, crêpe-like pancake, about 3 tablespoons. Don't expect a thick flapjack. Cook 1-2 minutes until beginning to brown. Flip over and cook another 1-2 minutes on the other side.

As you remove pancakes, either roll them like cigars and line up on a plate or dust with sugar and lie flat on top of each other. You can serve them as they come out of the pan or keep them warm in a low-temp oven (180°).

Serve warm with your favorite accompaniments. A dusting of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice makes for a traditional Shrove Tuesday pancake, but you can innovate to suit your taste.