PANCAKES (OR PIE CRUST! )

I’ve made these a million times, always with great results. It’s easy to remember because you use one of everything.

DRY INGREDIENTS

1 cup self-rising flour 1 level tbsp baking powder 1 level tbsp cornmeal (polenta) You could eyeball this and it would still come out okay: a palm full of flour, a large pinch of baking powder, and a large pinch of cornmeal.

WET INGREDIENTS

1 egg 1 cup buttermilk (or 2% milk) 1 capful oil (use the cap from the

vegetable-oil container)

MIXING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix the dry ingredients with a fork. 2. Mix the wet ingredients with a fork. 3. Mix together the wet and dry with a fork. 4. Thin the resulting batter with water until, when you pour it out of a spoon, it forms a thin, smooth ribbon on top of the batter.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Moisten a paper towel with vegetable oil and wipe a sheen on to a pan over mediumhigh heat. 2. Pour enough batter on to the pan to create a 100- to 120 mm-diameter pancake. 3. Flip when bubbles form thoroughly around the rim. Let the pancake rise, then remove from the heat.

PIE CRUST!

Add about half of the wet ingredients to the dry. Roll out on a floured countertop and spread over pre-warmed chilli con carne (or beef and gravy, stews or creamed vegetables) in a baking dish and place in oven until crust is golden brown.