Palačinky

It was about time that I posted this recipe for palačinky [pah-lah-chin-keh], czech something-like-crepes. While it is not exactly a product of baking, the preparation process is completely fool-proof and the result is wonderful. I was very happy when I found out that I can make them on my own and not only ask my mom to make palačinky for dinner. Actually, palačinky can be eaten not only for dinner but as breakfast or brunch too. Their simplicity is their strength beacause they go well with a lot of fillings. French people would put Nutella in them but we Czechs know better - a strawberry, raspberry or blueberry jam, Spanish natilla or any similar vanilla pudding-y substance and even curd, that all goes very well with palačinky and the door to experimentation are always open. There's no excuse for not having palačinky at least once in a month.

Palačinky
for about 5 to 7 palačinky (enough to feed one hungry man), you will need:

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 l of milk
• 5 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon of confectioners' sugar
• optionally two or three teaspoons of cinnamon to give the batter a nicer taste



don't panic when you see this.

• jam or marmalade of your choice

1. Mix the eggs, the milk, the flour and the sugar together in a bowl. It is better if you leave the eggs and the milk to warm up to the room's temperature first or you'll get weird clumps of flour in the batter. 
2. Leave the batter to set down a bit, take a larger pan and put some oil on it or melt a piece of butter. 
3. Use about 1/6 of the batter (usually the amount of a medium sized ladel), pour it first on the edges of the pan, then by tilting it get the batter spread evenly everywhere. Mind that palačinky should be thinner than thicker.  
4. Fry about 3-5 minutes from both sides on a smaller than medium flame. When you see the batter make bumps from the underside, you know it's time to turn it (or flip it in the air :) )
5. Put on a plate, take a spoon of the jam, spread it on a 1/3 of the palačinka, then roll it into a tube so that the side with the jam is in the centre of the spiral.
6. Serve in a group of three lightly dusted with a confectioners' sugar and, ideally, a cup of hot cocoa.

classy