Celebrate Pancake Day: A Delicious Tradition!

What is Pancake Day?

Many names, one celebration, and this year it falls today, Tuesday, March 1st (2022)!

In the UK and the US, today is also known as Shrove Tuesday – a name derived from the word “shrive,” meaning “to be free from sin.”

In Italy and other European countries, it’s celebrated as Martedì Grasso (Fat Tuesday).

But despite all these different names, it’s essentially the same thing: it’s the Tuesday before the start of Lent, the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday. Forget about chiacchiere (fried dough), cenci (fried dough strips), rice fritters with cream or raisins, zeppole, or krapfen. On Pancake Day in the UK, they only eat pancakes… sweet, savoury, stuffed, and vegan. All kinds!

So, grab your pan and get ready to showcase all your culinary skills… because there’s a reason it’s called Pancake Day!

That’s Pancake Day!

The idea behind the celebration is to get rid of all the fatty foods in the house before the penance or “fast” leading up to Easter. That’s why it’s typical to make pancakes: this way, you can get rid of the “culinary temptations” like milk, sugar, butter, and eggs.

But not just that: it seems the ingredients used in pancakes also have religious significance.

• Eggs symbolize the creation of new life;
• Flour represents personal life;
• Salt stands for health;
• Milk symbolizes purity.

It should be a tradition today to organize some very particular races (which I’ve never actually participated in):))

Usually, in schools and villages, competitors race with a frying pan containing a pancake, and they must flip the pancake at least three times during the run.

Legend has it that this tradition dates back to the 15th century when a woman, busy preparing pancakes for Fat Tuesday, heard the church bells ring, signalling the imminent confession. Fearing she’d be late, she finished making the pancakes along the way, running with her apron on and trying to flip the pancakes in the pan.

This morning, I prepared a very quick recipe. If you don’t feel like going out but still want to enjoy a warm, fragrant pancake, quickly mix:

• 1 ripe mashed banana;
• 40g of flour (rice, spelt, oats, or whatever you have at home);
• A pinch of salt;
• 1 teaspoon of milk (or plant-based milk);
• 1 whole egg;
• A pinch of cream of tartar (or baking powder);
• Dark chocolate and shredded coconut for decoration;
• A little clarified butter (or ghee) to grease the pan.

Mash the banana well until you get a puree. Add all the other ingredients and mix well until you get a smooth, lump-free batter. Meanwhile, heat a pan that you’ve already greased with butter. Using a spoon, pour the batter into the hot pan. When you notice bubbles forming on the surface of the pancake, use a spatula to flip it to the other side and continue cooking until golden. Serve on a plate and immediately cover with dark chocolate (or your favourite ingredients), which will melt with the warmth of the hot pancakes. Sprinkle with shredded coconut and… enjoy!

Enjoy! 🙂