Pre-gaming the Penitential Season with...pancakes?

By Megan Marley

While many know the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday as Mardi Gras, another name is Shrove Tuesday (since one would go to confession to be “shriven” of sins) or Pancake Day.

As the last hurrah before the penitential season of Lent, Catholics in past centuries would use up animal products (eggs and milk included) before the 40-day period of fasting and abstinence. Pancakes are perfect for using up large quantities of these ingredients!

In some parts of the world, this tradition continues in the form of pancake races, where competitors must flip a pancake in a skillet several times while running to the finish line. But in my house, puff pancakes are the order of the day.

Puff pancakes are flat, steam-risen cakes similar to a popover. They are a versatile base for either a sweet or savory meal. Plus they are a tasty allegory for one of the sins I have a problem with: pride. Just as these pancakes puff up with steam and fall if you open the oven too soon, I can get puffed up with pride and take on more than I can really handle — only for everything to fall apart prematurely.

With both puff pancakes and pride, it takes patience in seeing results and humble recognition that everything will turn out fine if we let go.

Puff Pancakes

Oven puff pancake

• ⅔ cup flour

• ⅔ cup milk

• 4 eggs

• 4 Tbsp. butter

Sweet puff pancake

Sweet version topping:

• 1 Tbsp. sugar

• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon

• ⅛ cup apple or other fruit, diced finely

• ⅛ cup quick oats

Savory puff pancake

Savory version topping:

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. thyme

• 1 tsp. chives

• ½ tsp. black pepper

• 3 Tbsp. parmesan shreds

PREHEAT the oven to 450° F with a cast iron skillet inside; combine topping mix of choice. Once the skillet is fully preheated, melt butter in the skillet while it is still in the oven. Beat flour, milk and eggs together and quickly pour the batter into the hot skillet, sprinkle with topping and return to the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes — DO NOT open the oven during baking or the puff pancake will deflate.

SERVE sweet version with cream cheese, fruit, maple syrup and powdered sugar, or savory version with scrambled eggs, sauteed mushrooms and bacon.