Croatian Pancakes

1. Make the batter.
2. Whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt together.
3. Add 250ml of milk, then gradually whisk in the flour until you have a smooth, thick batter with no lumps.
4. Slowly whisk in the remaining milk, followed by sparkling water. The batter should be quite thin, roughly the consistency of pouring cream.
5. Whisk in the oil or melted butter.
6. Rest the batter for 15 minutes at room temperature. This gives the flour time to hydrate and makes the pancakes more tender.
7. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and lightly grease it.
8. Pour in a small ladleful of batter while immediately swirling the pan so the batter spreads into a very thin layer.
9. Cook for approximately half a minute until the edges begin to lift and the underside is lightly golden. Flip and cook the other side for another 15–20 seconds.
10. Stack the finished pancakes on a plate and cover with a clean tea towel to keep them soft.

Classic Croatian fillings

• Apricot or plum jam
• Nutella with chopped roasted hazelnuts
• Ground walnuts with sugar
• Cottage cheese with sugar and vanilla
• Lemon juice and sugar
• Honey and walnuts

My favourite:
Nutella with crushed walnuts and a little icing sugar, then roll tightly and serve warm.

Chef’s tip
For really thin restaurant style pancakes, use the sparkling water and don’t make the batter too thick. If the first pancake is too thick, add another 30–50 ml sparkling water. The pan should be hot enough that the batter sets almost immediately when it hits the surface.