This Tuesday is Pancake Tuesday, aka Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Fat Tuesday is the last day before Lent. Traditionally people would prepare for 40 days of fasting before Easter by eating all the fatty foods they possibly could. Unfortunately, I don’t have time on weekday mornings to make myself a pancake breakfast, so I decided to celebrate a few days early.

Generally I prefer crepes to pancakes, but these apple pancakes are the exception to that rule. My mom used to make them for me and my brother pretty often when we were kids. My memories might be a little exaggerated, but I remember being to eat tons of them in one sitting. The apples stay a little crisp, and have a bit a tart flavour. The tartness is balanced by maple syrup in this case. My mom usually sprinkles cinnamon and sugar on them, I think that might be my favourite way to eat them.

These are really easy to make. Apple slices are dipped into a standard pancake batter then fried in butter. You could use oil, but the flavour just isn’t the same. Top them with any syrup or sweetener you have.

Polish Apple Pancakes

• 2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced into rounds
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cups milk
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• butter for frying
• maple syrup for serving

1. In a large bowl, whisk the milk and eggs together. Add the flour, baking powder, melted butter, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together. If the batter is very lumpy set it aside for a few minutes to rest then stir again.
2. Pour the apple slices into the batter and coat them.
3. In a large frying pan melt about 1 tbsp of butter. When the pan is hot, place 2 or 3 apple slices in the oil. When the bottom is golden and the pancakes can easily be moved, flip and fry the other side.
4. Repeat with remaining apple slices. (any left over batter can be used for regular pancakes)

Enjoy!