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Pancakes are really easy to make, especially if you don’t use too large a pan and don’t fry them in fat. All you need is to have the pan really hot before you start and brush it well with oil, just enough to make it look shiny all over. The batter itself should be thin – a very light cream consistency that just coats the back of a wooden spoon. If it seems too heavy, beat in a little cold water. The best pan is a small pan, about 7” across. Make the batter the night before and leave it in the fridge until ready to use.

Ingredients

• 6 oz. all-purpose flour

• A good pinch of salt

• 1Tbs. of extra fine granulated sugar (regular sugar if you can’t find extra fine granulated

• 2 large eggs

• 15 oz. milk, or for very crisp, light, delicate pancakes, half milk, and half water

• 3 Tbs. melted butter

• Orange and lemon wedges with granulated sugar to serve

Directions

1. Sift together the flour, salt, and sugar.

2. Add the eggs and liquid to the flour and beat until the batter is covered with bubbles.

3. Let the batter stand in a cool place for an hour, or so, or longer will do no harm

4. When ready to make the pancakes, stir in the 3 Tbs. of melted butter

5. Pour into the pan just enough batter to cover the bottom thinly and tilt it quickly this way and that till the bottom is evenly covered. (Pouring from a jug makes the whole performance easier, and if you should have too much in the pan you can just pour it back into the jug.)

6. Shake the pan to make sure the batter isn’t sticking then jerk it forward till it reaches the downward-tilting edge of the pan. Flip it over with a quick movement of the wrist so that the uncooked side is underneath – don’t be afraid of this – have fun with it; it may take a few tries to perfect your pancake toss. Pancakes are very good-tempered – although they are nicest served straight from the stove, they can be made ahead and reheated quite successfully.

7. Serve with lemon juice and sugar sprinkled over the pancake.

From Mary Costa’s Four Seasons Cookery Book, first published in 1970