Ah, the joys of Lenten cooking! With Great Lent upon us, we steer clear of meat, eggs, dairy, and many other everyday foods. Yet there is no reason our meals cannot be both hearty and uplifting while we’re busy praying and doing good deeds. Here’s a delightful recipe for pancakes filled with a comforting mash of potato and onions, graciously passed on by Sister Natalia. They are so soft and fluffy, everyone will adore them. And they’re dead easy to make, which is a bonus for busy cooks.
For the pancakes:
For the filling:
1. In a large bowl, mix the salt, sugar, sparkling water, and a splash of sunflower oil.
2. Sift in the flour bit by bit, stirring with a spoon or using a blender until you have a smooth, thin batter. No lumps!
3. Boil the potatoes for about 20 minutes until soft and mash them up.
4. Finely chop and fry the onions until golden soft (around 5 minutes), then mix them into the mashed potatoes.
5. Cook the pancakes in a frying pan for 1–2 minutes on each side.
6. Spread the mashed potato and onion mix onto the pancakes, roll them up, and brush with a little vegetable oil.
Eggs add moisture, colour, and a richer taste to baked goods. But if you cannot get your hands on any, or you cannot eat them, here are some clever swaps for your pancakes and fritters.
Sparkling Water
One of our recipes uses sparkling water, the magic ingredient! It’s all about those bubbles; they make your pancakes light, airy, and delicate. In fact, sparkling water can replace eggs in lots of Lenten dishes.
Nut or Seed Oil (Peanut, Almond, or Sunflower)
A top-notch egg replacement for pancakes is nut oil. If you’re allergic to nuts, no stress, use seed oil instead. 50 ml (¼ cup or 2 fl oz) of oil does the trick, replacing one egg. Nut oil acts as a binder, holding the batter together and adding a rich flavour. It's fantastic in all sorts of baked treats.
Vinegar and Baking Soda
Many recipes let you skip eggs by adding vinegar and baking soda. Mix 1 tsp of baking soda with 1 tbsp of vinegar to replace one egg. This combo sparks a chemical reaction that makes carbon dioxide and water, making your pancakes light and fluffy. It’s like magic, but it’s science!
Mashed Banana
Mashed banana is another smashing egg substitute. Bananas are full of starch. Mash half a medium banana into a purée, and it'll replace one egg and bind all the ingredients together. Bear in mind that bananas bring a subtle fruity taste and aroma, which can brighten up your dish or ruin the show if you’re not careful!
