As it is Shrove Tuesday on the 5th of February, here we have a recipe and method for making your own reasonably healthy, generally idiot-proof pancakes.

Ingredients:

• 4oz (115g) of plain flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2 pint (0.24 litres) of semi-skimmed milk
• pinch of salt
• sunflower oil

Method:

Sieve all the flour into a large mixing bowl. Break the egg into a separate bowl and beat it with a fork (whipping motion). Now make a hollow in the flour in your large mixing bowl and add the egg with approximately half of your milk. Mix this together with a wooden spoon until all of the flour is wet. Begin mixing the flour with an electric or hand wisk. Do this slowly at first to avoid painting the walls of your kitchen in mixture. Once the mixture is smooth and creamy, carefully add the rest of the milk and the pinch of salt. Whisk again until frothy.

For best results, you should put your pancake mixture in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before use.

That’s your mixture made - pancakes are go!

Cooking and tossing pancakes

Get a non-stick frying pan. One made of finest Sheff^WShanghai steel from the local discount shop will do.

Set your pan over a low heat on the hob and pour a little sunflower oil (teaspoon if you want to be accurate) into the pan and wipe it around with kitchen-roll. You want it to cover the bottom of the pan but not be running with oil. Be brave and pour on enough pancake mixture to thinly cover the base of the pan, you can tilt the pan around to get the mixture to run to the edges. Turn up the hob to a medium heat until the mixture begins to set. Using a spatula (thin, flat plastic device found lurking in kitchen drawers), carefully lift around the edges of the pancake to free it off.

Now you’re ready to toss!

Lift the pan from the hob and use a backwards and forwards shaking motion to loosen the pancake. Tilt the pan down away from you and allow the pancake to climb up to the edge of the pan.

Now flick the pan upwards and slightly back towards you, the pancake should somersault and land back in the pan on the downstroke.

Carefully peel the pancake from the floor/the ceiling/your head, replace it in the pan and try again, this time with a little less effort and a little more skill

If you really can’t master the toss, you may be able to carefully turn the pancake over with a spatula or even just cook it through without turning.

When the pancake is golden-brown, serve up. You can add cut bananas, honey, sugar and lemon juice or even syrup to the pancakes but bear in mind that these are not necessarily healthy additions to your pancake