Ancient Pancakes

Ancient Pancakes these represent the easiest type of food to make. The version here incorporates duck eggs and is richer than normal and is intended as a spring-time treat. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic traditional version of an Ancient Pancakes.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

20 minutes

Total Time:

40 minutes

Additional Time:

(+90 minutes resting)

Serves:

8–12

Rating:

Tags : Baking Recipes Cake Recipes British Recipes

If you can bake Breads then pancakes are not beyond your culinary reach. Though it has to be remembered that in ancient times eggs were a seasonal delicacy and were not available year-round. Perhaps this is the true reason that pancakes are associated with the season of lent and with Easter as this is when birds lay their eggs and eggs would be in abundance.

Ingredients:

125g whole-wheat flour (preferably spelt or emmer wheat)
500ml milk (from any domestic animal)
2 eggs (duck eggs get you closer to ancient times but hen eggs will do)
pinch of salt
butter to cook

Method:

To make pancakes simply whisk all the ingredients together then leave to stand for at least 90 minutes. At the end of this time heat a pan or a griddle, add a knob of butter and cook small spoonfuls of the mixture. The pancakes work well hot with honey or can be served cold spread with butter and jam.

If you're feeling more adventurous collect some wood sorrel (see this page on wild foods for a recognition guide), chop finely and mix into some honey (the wood sorrel has a lemony flavour which complements the pancakes) and spread over the pancakes.

Additional variants would be to mix about 100g of toasted, chopped hazelnuts into the pancake mixture. Alternatively you could mix some 60g of red fruit such as blackcurrants, blackberries, wild strawberries or elderberries into the mix.