‘Shrove’ comes from the word ‘shrive’, meaning confession of sins, so Shrove Tuesday was the day when people confessed their sins before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. In today’s church calendar, the period before Easter marks the time Jesus spent fasting in the desert before his crucifixion on Good Friday. Lent is a time of prayer and fasting, and traditionally certain foods including meat, eggs, fat and milk were forbidden. To avoid temptation, these foods were eaten up before Lent began, a tradition continued today as Pancake Day.
Ingredients
100g plain flour
2 large eggs
300ml milk
1 tbsp neutral tasting vegetable oil
Butter or oil for frying
Lemon juice or wedges, sugar, or your favourite topping
Method
Put the flour, eggs, milk, oil and a pinch of salt into a bowl or liquidiser and whisk until smooth.
If you have the patience, set aside and rest the ingredients for half an hour. If you don’t, heat a frying pan with a little oil or butter until hot.
Add enough batter to cover the pan and turn down the heat slightly. Cook until beginning to brown, flip, and cook the other side.
Serve with lemon, sugar or your favourite topping.