Potato pancakes

It’s Pancake Day – traditionally the day when people cleared their cupboards of such things like eggs, sugar and fat prior to Lent, and probably the only day when it’s OK to throw food in the kitchen and crack jokes about being a tosser. As its date is determined by when Easter is, Pancake Day (or, to use the more old-fashioned name, Shrove Tuesday) is a moveable feast which can fall any time between early February and early March; this year, it’s somewhat earlier than usual – this is the earliest it’s been since 2008, and it won’t be this early again until 2027.

A favourite pancake recipe of ours is a savoury one – potato pancakes, which work really well as a side to the main meal. They’re really easy to make – all you need are a couple of potatoes, an egg, half an onion and some flour, milk and salt. Grate the potatoes and the onion. Mix these with an egg, a quarter-cup of flour, a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of milk to make the batter.

Fry approximately one large spoonful of the batter per pancake. Thanks to the grated potato and onion they’re thicker than regular pancakes, so it’s probably best to flip these rather than toss them. This recipe makes approximately six pancakes.

Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche. Bon appétit, and happy Pancake Day!