Secrets of baking “correct” pancakes…. Recipe: Pancakes in the oven - for those who can’t eat fatty and fried foods
Today this proverb is interpreted in the sense that the first experience is most often unsuccessful. They say the first pancake fails due to a poorly heated frying pan. True, no one explains why our ancestors were so careless and instead of heating the frying pan they made up proverbs.
In fact, the meaning of the proverb must be sought elsewhere. Our ancestors believed that during Maslenitsa week the souls of the dead return to earth. Therefore, the first pancake was intended for them: “At Maslenitsa, the first pancake is for the dead.” Sometimes the first pancake was given to the poor so that they would remember all the departed. It was believed that the “souls” themselves take an active part in baking the first pancake, in fact, which is why sometimes it turned out “lumpy”.
Why is the pancake round and flat?
Seems like a strange question. Everything seems to be clear. But it's not that simple. Probably everyone knows that pancake is a ritual dish that was eaten at certain times of the year, when it was believed that the souls of the dead came to earth. That is, in fact, it was believed that a pancake is bread, but which connects two dimensions - the real world and the afterlife. The ancestors were sure that the “souls of the dead” lose the ability of three-dimensional vision and see everything flatly. That’s why the pancake was baked round and flat.
Where did the word "damn" come from?
There is no definite answer - scientists are still heatedly arguing. The most common version is that “pancake” comes from the ancient Russian “mlyn” (from the verb “to grind”). True, it is not clear why over time the sound “m” mutated into the sound “b” in this word. But, for example, in the word “mill”, which also comes from “grind”, this did not happen - we don’t say “belnitsa”! We prefer the version of some linguists who associate “pancake” with a distorted “truth”: they say, “souls” who come to the pancakes see everything from a distorted perspective, therefore “true” (reality) is perceived by them as “pancake” (reality with a slight refraction). By the way, there is another interesting version that the word “damn” is related to one obscene word.
Initially, this same word meant “lie,” “deception,” “delusion.” And since the pancake acted as a kind of imitation of bread for the “souls of ancestors” with a “flat” perception of our reality, family ties with the vulgar word are not excluded.
Why couldn't you eat pancakes on ordinary days?
Now this is considered some kind of heresy. But our ancestors treated this very pedantically. We ate pancakes only at the permitted time, when the “souls of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers” came to visit our reality. It would never have occurred to anyone to eat pancakes at an ordinary, non-ritual time - they could have gone to their great-grandfathers forever. It was believed that only sorcerers, for the sake of communicating with the “dead,” could dare to violate this prohibition.
What celestial body is the pancake associated with?
Today, for some reason, most scientists are sure that the “pancake” symbolizes the Sun. Mainly because round shape. However, in some Russian apocrypha one can also read a reference to the Moon. This looks more logical, since it was believed that the “souls of ancestors” do not perceive sunlight well and are under the protection of the lunar element.
Why does pancake taste like this?
I mean, slightly sour. This is due to the belief that the “dead” prefer everything sour. And, say, salt in general can scare away and offend the “soul of an ancestor.” That is why pancakes with caviar are a “lordly” innovation and are in no way connected with the old tradition.
Why does a pancake need to be rolled into a tube?
Because it's convenient, of course. The filling may fall apart. But the point here is different: according to a number of historians and folklorists, we began rolling pancakes into a tube relatively recently - about 200 years ago. Before this, the pancake was mainly rolled into an “envelope” - and in the most intricate shapes. Then the so-called “pie” trend ruled – but this was also an innovation. Because even earlier, pancakes were not rolled at all, since there was no filling. The pancake itself was considered a ready-to-eat product, and for fillings there was a format of pies, the appearance of which, by the way, was also associated with the “souls of ancestors” ritual. But we'll talk about this another time.
The symbol of Maslenitsa has always been pancakes. According to tradition, pancakes are baked throughout the Maslenitsa week. Previously, baking pancakes was a whole ritual. This delicacy was prepared according to special recipes and with special rituals and conspiracies. Each housewife kept her recipe secret. It was believed that if you reveal the secret of the pancake recipe for Maslenitsa, you will lose your family well-being.
There are many signs and beliefs associated with Maslenitsa pancakes, which people tried to observe to attract good luck and happiness.
Signs and customs associated with Maslenitsa pancakes
- The first baked pancake was intended for the souls of deceased relatives. One of the traditions of this holiday is the remembrance of the departed. Therefore the first Maslenitsa pancake left on the window, given to the poor or fed to birds. It is customary to place the last pancake in the hand of a Maslenitsa effigy, which is then burned.
- For our ancestors, cooking pancakes was a special sacrament. The dough was kneaded on the street near the well, while reading the plot.
- If pancakes were successful on Maslenitsa, then this predicted a good and rich year. If the pancakes turned out tasteless and ugly, then there would be troubles and troubles.
- How more pancakes If you bake something for Maslenitsa, the happier and more profitable your year will be. In general, it was not customary to save money on Maslenitsa. Main feature This holiday was that during the week you need to walk to the fullest, then the whole year will be successful.
- There is a belief that pancakes must be eaten either whole or torn with your hands. We didn’t eat pancakes using cutlery. The pancake could not be pierced with a fork or knife - this could bring bad luck.
- There was a sign: if you eat pancakes on Thursday and peas on Wednesday, then the money will not be transferred all year.
- During Maslenitsa week, it was customary to tell fortunes using pancakes. To do this, the hostess gave the rooster a pancake. If he pecks it all down to the crumbs, the year will be poor. It turns out that the rooster pecked away family well-being and prosperity. If the rooster refuses such a treat or eats everything, then the year will be successful.
- Oat pancakes recipe
- Cheese pancakes recipe
- Recipe for yeast pancakes with whey
Ancient pancake recipes for Maslenitsa
In the old days, pancakes for Maslenitsa were baked from oatmeal. Later they began to use buckwheat, wheat and rye flour. Pancakes were filling various fillings or smeared with oil. Particularly popular were pancakes with meat, fish, mushrooms, cottage cheese, honey, onions, sour cream, caviar and potatoes.
1.5 cups wheat flour, 2.5 cups oatmeal, 3 cups milk or water, half a cup cream, 3 eggs, 2 tbsp. spoons of sugar, 2 tbsp. tablespoons butter, 30g. yeast, salt to taste.
Pour into a saucepan warm milk, dilute yeast in it. Mix wheat and oatmeal in a separate plate, then pour into a saucepan with milk and stir. Afterwards you need to let the dough rise properly. Then you need to add pounded with salt to the dough. egg yolks, molten butter. Stir everything well. In a separate bowl you need to beat the whites, and the cream separately. Then mix them and pour into the dough. After this, the dough must be allowed to stand again.
2.5 cups flour, 5 eggs, 100 g sugar, 200 g butter, 3 cups milk, ¾ teaspoon salt, 300 g cheese.
Grate the cheese and separate the egg yolks from the whites. Beat the yolks with milk and add flour, salt and cheese. Beat the whites separately and add to the dough. It is better to bake such pancakes in small sizes. You need to fry until golden brown.
1 - 1, 2 l. whey, 3 eggs, 2 tbsp. spoons of sugar, flour, 10g. live yeast, 2 tbsp. spoons vegetable oil.
Mix eggs with sugar, add yeast, add half a liter of warm whey and vegetable oil. Stir everything and add flour and salt. The dough should be as thick as pancakes, preferably without lumps. Then you need to add the remaining whey and mix everything again. As a result, the dough turns out liquid, like pancakes. Place the dough in a warm place for about an hour.
Despite the fact that Maslenitsa is one of the oldest holidays in Russia, pancakes have become traditional dish only in the 8th century. And they used to bake on Maslenitsa honey gingerbread. It is believed that the historical predecessor of pancakes was oatmeal jelly. One day they decided to heat it over the fire, and the result was the first pancakes. We wish you a merry Maslenitsa, and do not forget to press the buttons and
16.02.2015 09:25
Elijah's Day in 2014 is celebrated on August 2. According to the popular calendar, on this day they prayed to Saint Elijah the Prophet. This folk...
Pancakes are one of the dishes without which modern Russian cuisine is unthinkable. However, suncakes first appeared before our era. Thus, the history of this dish goes back more than two decades.
Historical background
Many people believe that pancakes are an original Russian dish. However, in fact, they were the first to start making sour flatbreads as early as the ancient Egyptians in the fifth century BC.
In Rus', the first pancakes made from appeared around 1005-1006. There are several legends about how exactly the first pancake was “born”. So, according to one version, the housewife simply forgot the oatmeal jelly in the oven. It thickened, fried, and, after “taking a sample,” everyone decided that it turned out very tasty.
It is noteworthy that from the very beginning, pancakes were a dish for the preparation of which only extremely high-quality products were traditionally used. This was due to the fact that they were endowed with sacred meaning - they, like kutya, were intended to commemorate deceased relatives. According to tradition, they were baked after the funeral and distributed to the poor with a request to remember the newly deceased.
However, over time, the meaning of this dish has changed. They turned into the main dish of Maslenitsa - the holiday of farewell to winter. The golden round pancake began to be seen as a symbol of the spring sun and the Slavic deity Yarilo. Each housewife had her own secret recipe, which was passed down from mother to daughter by inheritance. Those who did not have the opportunity to bake treats themselves could buy them from street vendors- fortunately, on Maslenitsa this food was sold literally “on every corner”: in taverns or from peddlers right on the streets.
The fillings were very varied - mushrooms, caviar or fish. Those who had more modest incomes were content with pancakes filled with or.
The so-called “pancakes with seasoning” were considered a special delicacy. They were prepared in a special way - they were fried on one side, and any filling was put on the other and the dough was poured on top. Then the baked goods were turned over to the other side and fried. The result was a double pancake with a “hot” filling in the middle. These baked goods were filled fresh forest mushrooms, herbs, vegetables, boiled egg.
Curious facts
It would seem that we know everything about pancakes. However, there are several interesting facts that probably remain unknown to a wider audience.
Housewives are now baking pancakes from... In Rus', it has long been considered pancake flour. Thanks to her, the dough turned out to be very aromatic, and the baked goods had a pleasant, slightly sour taste.
The well-known proverb “the first pancake is lumpy” has nothing to do with the mistakes of ancient culinary specialists. In fact, it is associated with the Komoeditsa holiday, the main characters of which were... bears. These animals were called “comas” in Rus'. Komoeditsa was timed to coincide with the awakening of animals after winter hibernation, and pancakes were brought “as a gift” to the bears in their den in the early morning. This is exactly how the proverb “The first pancake is comAm” arose, which over time was transformed and acquired its modern meaning.
Not only the baking of pancakes, but also their consumption was associated with a huge number of traditions. So, they were allowed to be taken exclusively with their hands. No cutlery could be used, and a person who cut a pancake with a knife was considered a real criminal in Rus'!
Abroad, pancakes are prepared from almost the same products, but each nationality has its own characteristics associated with their baking and consumption. So, in the UK for pancake dough ale and malt flour are used. American pancakes are small in size and very plump. In fact, these are pancakes that are served in a heap, with a layer of maple syrup, berries or vegetables. The Germans serve it with pancakes, and the Spaniards bake them from and stuff them minced meat. And in China they add a huge amount of onions to the dough.
Today in the world, in addition to ordinary Russian pancakes, French crêpes folded into “envelopes” and incredibly tender Czech “palaces” with vanilla or cheese sauce, American pancakes, a Mongolian version of pancakes called gambir, as well as an Ethiopian pancake made from teff flour called “injera”.
Composition and calorie content of pancakes
The main ingredients that make up any type of pancakes are flour, milk and eggs. The remaining components vary - and as a result, also changes. It is noteworthy that filled pancakes have an order of magnitude more calories. In pancakes without filling, the indicator is 189 Kcal per 100 grams of baked goods. This volume of product contains 5.1 g, 3.1 g and 32.6 g.
The benefits and harms of pancakes
The benefits of pancakes are determined by the chemical composition of these baked goods. It contains ( positive impact on metabolism, normalization of activity immune system), (powerful, affecting the functioning of the reproductive system and skin condition) and (decreasing the level of, stimulating the gastrointestinal tract). Also contains (strengthening the heart muscle), (normalizing kidney function), (cell regeneration, removing toxins), (preventing anemia and disease thyroid gland) and (responsible for the condition of bones and teeth, promotes mental activity).
At the same time, pancakes, especially with fillings, are quite high in calories, and therefore people who are prone to gaining extra pounds should not get too carried away with this dish.
In addition, ready-made pancakes are now sold in many supermarkets, but the quality of such baked goods leaves much to be desired due to huge amount flavorings and preservatives added to it by unscrupulous manufacturers. Therefore, if you still decide to enjoy pancakes, it is better to bake them yourself.
Thin pancakes with milk
Among huge variety Traditionally very thin pancakes are especially popular among gourmets, in fact lace pancakes from yeast-free dough. They are often called “French” in contrast to traditional Russian ones, which are prepared with yeast and are quite dense.
To prepare fifteen pancakes with a diameter of 20-22 centimeters you will need: 0.5 liters of milk, three eggs, 200 g of flour, two tablespoons of butter (you can take both refined and vegetable oil, without a pronounced smell), the same amount of sugar and half teaspoon salt.
Please note that in order for the dough to be homogeneous, all ingredients must be room temperature. Therefore, it is better to remove milk and eggs from the refrigerator in advance. If you use butter, you must first melt it and let it cool. Note that baked goods made with butter will be more rosy and will have a distinct creamy flavor.
Wash the eggs and break them into a prepared container. Add salt and sugar. Stir the mixture using a mixer, or just a whisk or fork. Please note that you do not need to beat the eggs into a foam, you just need to ensure that the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
Pour about 150 ml of milk into the mixture. Mix thoroughly and sift the flour into the container with the future dough. Mix thoroughly again so that the dough is completely homogeneous, without a single lump. Then pour in the remaining milk and stir again. Add the butter and mix until the dough has the consistency of butter.
It is better to grease the frying pan with oil only before pouring the dough for the first pancake onto it. However, if the pancakes stick, you should lubricate it every time before pouring the dough. Please note that it is better to use vegetable oil to grease the pan, because the pancakes will burn.
In order for the baked goods to turn out not just thin, but truly openwork, with holes, the pan should be heated as much as possible.
Turn the pancake over when the top side is no longer sticky. A wooden spatula should be used for these manipulations.
Pancakes on kefir with boiling water
Many housewives use not milk, but milk to make pancakes. The pancakes end up being thin, porous, and they literally melt in your mouth.
You will need: kefir (400 l), boiling water (200 ml), two eggs, 250 g of flour, two tablespoons of sunflower oil, 75 g of sugar, half a teaspoon of soda and literally a pinch of salt.
Eggs should be thoroughly beaten with sugar and salt. Pour kefir into the same container, add pre-sifted flour and beat again.
Boil water, dissolve soda in it and begin pouring it into the dough in a thin stream, stirring constantly. After this, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and let the dough sit for about five minutes.
Heat the pan well. Grease it with vegetable oil and start frying pancakes.
Zucchini pancakes
Not only flour is used to make pancakes. Pancakes from .
To prepare them you will need: fresh zucchini(450 g), kefir (300 g), four eggs, a tablespoon of vegetable oil, 5 g of salt, and butter, which will be used to grease the pan.
Grate the zucchini on the finest grater. Squeeze out the juice. Beat the eggs with salt and add them to the zucchini. Pour in kefir and add finely chopped parsley. Stir and add sunflower oil. After this, mix again and let the dough stand for about a quarter of an hour.
Heat a frying pan and grease it sunflower oil. Form pancakes. They need to be fried from both barrels until the color turns golden. After this, grease each pancake with butter.
What you need to know about the dangers and benefits of pancakes?
Make your own pancakes.
It’s worth making a reservation: if we’re talking about pancakes in finished form, which are massively sold on the shelves of our stores, then talking about the benefits is, in principle, inappropriate. Such products contain a variety of products that, if they do not cause harm to the body (although everything depends on the additives themselves, so read carefully the description of the components), will certainly benefit their chemical composition You can't expect anything from them either.
Attention! Carbohydrates.
Remember that there is enough in pancakes high content carbohydrates, so try not to eat them in the afternoon, so as not to complicate your work digestive system, and also not to accumulate the energy that you most likely will not have time to spend during the rest of the day, which means everything will be deposited in problem areas.
Less fat.
The health effects of pancakes depend on how they are prepared. If, in addition to the taste sensation, it is important for you that pancake week does not become a test for the body, immediately pay attention to the concentration of fats in the dish. If you cook with milk, try to reduce its fat content by diluting it with water 1:1. Or you can use skim or extremely low-fat milk.
Eggs are very healthy.
Many people know about the benefits of eggs: they contain vitamins, proteins and unsaturated fats that are beneficial for the body.
Essential fiber.
Flour provides us with fiber (especially beneficial for the digestive system). Ideally, use a mixture of wheat and barley flour. Plus, to increase the fiber content of the dough, use some rolled oats.
Add vegetable oil.
It is very useful to add one tablespoon of vegetable oil to it while beating the dough: it contains essential fatty acids that help the body digest all the fats that come with food, and also strengthen blood vessels and promote. By the way, the butter added to the dough prevents the pancakes from burning.
Be careful with sugar!
Often in recipes they write: “salt, sugar to taste.” However, taste often characterizes us as having a sweet tooth, which is why many add sugar to the dough with all their hearts. Still, don’t overdo it in this matter. And if you are not convinced by the argument that excess sugar in the diet can lead to weight problems, diabetes and related diseases, keep in mind that over-sugared dough will burn badly in the pan.
Think about the filling.
Too sweet and too fatty filling contraindicated for people suffering overweight, and those diagnosed with diseases related to the pancreas. Give preference to filling, but dietary fillings, and in sweet fillings use ingredients such as honey, dried fruits, sweet vegetables, berries or fruit jams, .
Know your limits!
During Maslenitsa week and, especially, on the last day of Maslenitsa, we really eat so many pancakes that we probably don’t eat in the whole year. The problem is that many people think of pancakes as a light snack (regardless of whether they have filling or not), so we often do not deny ourselves this pleasure. However, you need to remember that, on average, there are 115 kcal in one pancake, which means that if you eat only 3 pancakes without filling, it will be 345 kcal (for comparison: in 100 g of chicken - 236 kcal, in 100 gram of pork - 316 kcal, 100 gram of potatoes - 77 kcal (imagine how many potatoes you will eat to get the same 345 kcal!). What if you add filling!? And if you drink it alcoholic drinks(as we like to do this during folk festivals)?! The conclusion suggests itself: everything needs moderation!
Happy Maslenitsa!
Photos from open sources
Maslenitsa was originally a pagan holiday of the ancient Slavs saying goodbye to winter and welcoming spring, buttering the god of cattle breeding Veseles by eating round pancakes reminiscent of the warm sun. We have selected the most interesting facts about pancakes and those who bake and eat them...
Why is the first pancake lumpy?
Today, this saying is associated with the fact that the first experience is most often unsuccessful - due to a poorly heated frying pan. However, there is a problem here - why did people in the past, instead of heating a frying pan, write proverbs?
In fact, the meaning is different. They used to believe that during Maslenitsa week the souls of the dead return to earth. Therefore, the first pancake was intended for them: “At Maslenitsa, the first pancake is for the dead.”
Also, the first pancake was given to the poor so that they would remember all the departed. It was believed that the “souls” themselves took an active part in baking the first pancake, in fact, which is why sometimes it turned out “lumpy”.
Why is the pancake round and flat?
At first glance, this is a strange question. However, not everything is so simple. Everyone knows that pancake is a ritual dish that used to be eaten at certain times of the year, namely, when it was believed that the souls of the dead came to earth.
That is, the pancake was considered as bread, connecting two dimensions - the real and the afterlife. It was believed that the “souls of the dead” lose the ability of three-dimensional vision and see everything flatly. That’s why the pancake was baked round and flat.
Where did the word "damn" come from?
The most common version is that “pancake” comes from the ancient Russian “mlin” (from the verb “to grind”). However, it is not clear how the sound “m” turned into the sound “b”. Therefore, there is another point of view that connects the “pancake” with a distorted “reality”: they say, “souls” who come to the pancakes see everything from a distorted perspective, therefore the “reality” (reality) is perceived by them as a “pancake” (reality with a slight refraction ).
The third version connects “damn” with an obscene word, because it meant “lie”, “deception”, “delusion”. And since the pancake acted as a kind of imitation of bread for the “souls of our ancestors” with our “flat” perception.
Why couldn't you eat pancakes on ordinary days?
Today this rule is not observed. However, this used to be taken seriously. They ate pancakes only at the permitted time, when the “souls of grandfathers and great-grandfathers” came to rest in our reality.
It would never have occurred to anyone to eat pancakes at an ordinary, non-ritual time - they could have gone to their great-grandfathers forever. It was believed that only sorcerers, for the sake of communicating with the “dead,” could dare to violate this prohibition.
What celestial body is the pancake associated with?
Today it is believed that the “pancake” symbolizes the Sun. Mainly because of the round shape. However, in some Russian apocrypha one can also read a reference to the Moon. This looks more logical, since it was believed that the “souls of ancestors” do not perceive sunlight well and are under the protection of the lunar element.
Why does pancake taste like this?
That is, slightly sour. This is due to the belief that the “dead” prefer everything sour. And, say, salt in general can scare away and offend the “soul of an ancestor.” That is why pancakes with caviar are a “lordly” innovation and are in no way connected with the old tradition.
Why does a pancake need to be rolled into a tube?
At first glance it’s clear – because it’s more convenient. But according to a number of scientists, rolling a pancake into a tube began relatively recently - about 200 years ago. Before this, the pancake was mainly rolled into an “envelope” - and in the most intricate shapes. Then the so-called “pie” trend ruled – but this was also an innovation.
Because even earlier, pancakes were not rolled at all, since there was no filling. The pancake itself was considered a ready-to-eat product, and for fillings there was a format of pies, the appearance of which, by the way, was also associated with the “souls of ancestors” ritual.
And one more thing:
The height of the tallest stack of pancakes was 82 cm. It was built in honor of the Maslenitsa celebration by employees of the Food Network UK TV channel. The cooking process itself took 13 hours. 253 eggs, 5 kilograms of flour and 15 liters of milk were spent. The stack consisted of 725 pancakes. The record was recorded on March 9, 2013.
1092 pancakes per hour - this is exactly the record for the fastest baking of pancakes set on August 13, 2013 by American restaurant owner Ros McCurdy. Before Ross, this unusual record belonged to Steve Hamilton, who baked 956 pancakes in an hour.
In February 2012, another “pancake” record was set. English students set the record by holding the largest pancake flipping event. The event was organized by students from the University of Sheffield and broadcaster Dan Walker. 930 people took part in it. At the same time, they turned over a pancake in a frying pan; the whole action took the participants of the record-breaking action about 30 seconds.
The largest number of pancakes made by a team within 8 hours is 76,382 pieces. The record was set on May 9, 2009 in a hotel in Atlanta. The pancakes were prepared by 175 volunteers, and in 8 hours they served about 20 thousand people.
Dominic Kuzakri threw the highest pancake in New York - 9 meters 47 cm. The record was recorded on November 13, 2010. By the way, the previous record also belonged to Dominic, he improved his figure by 30 cm.
The world's largest pancake was baked on August 13, 1994 in Great Britain. The diameter of this giant pancake was 15 meters, 2.5 centimeters in height and 3 tons of weight. The pancake turned out to be quite filling, and it energy value amounted to as much as 2,000,000 kilocalories.
In Russia, they also tried to set a record and on Maslenitsa 2010 they baked the world's longest pancake, the length of which was 1 kilometer, weight 300 kilograms, and area of 150 square meters. This pancake strip was cut into 5620 pieces, which were treated to everyone
St. Petersburg resident Andrei Smirnov ate as many as 73 pancakes, weighing more than 2 kilograms, while celebrating Maslenitsa, and it took him only 60 minutes to do it.
According to research by Russian historians, the yeast pancake appeared somewhere around the turn of 1005-1006. Thus, in 2011, the Russian pancake turned 1005 years old
The oldest pancake festival in Europe is the pancake race in Great Britain. They have been held since 1445. According to legend, in 1445, one of the housewives of the town, carried away by baking pancakes, completely forgot about the Maslenitsa service in the church. Hearing the ringing of church bells, she ran out of the house in a panic, holding a frying pan with a pancake in one hand and tying her cap with the other. From this incident the idea of the “pancake race” was born.
