My Mother's Norwegian Pancakes with Blueberries

My Mother’s Norwegian Pancakes with Blueberries

Makes 18 to 20 pancakes

The comforting smell of homemade pancakes wafting through the house fills my childhood memories. This traditional recipe is a quintessential example of my mother’s familiar, nostalgic, and simple cooking. Uncomplicated and gently flavored, the paper-thin pancakes, fried in her flat cast-iron skillet, were always garnished immediately with fresh blueberries or blueberry jam. Usually a main dish, they can be made for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and are traditionally served with mashed fresh blueberries and a sprinkling of sugar spread on the inside of the pancake before being rolled up into a cigar shape. Another lovely way to serve them, especially during summer, is with fresh strawberries and drizzled with Caramel Sauce (page 000).

4 medium eggs

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

800ml / 3 1/3 cups water

160g / 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Salted butter, for greasing

600g / 4 cups fresh blueberries

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt. Add the water and whisk well. Sift in the flour and stir well until you have a smooth batter, using a whisk if necessary. Any small lumps will disappear after resting. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes on the kitchen counter. The batter may be stored overnight in the refrigerator and used the next day after being brought to room temperature. (I usually take it out 30 minutes before cooking.)

Heat a large skillet over medium. Once warm, add a small knob of butter. Ladle some batter into the skillet, tilting the skillet to move the mixture around the base to create a thin, even layer. Quickly pour any excess batter back into the batter mixture, then return the skillet to the heat. Let the batter cook undisturbed for 30 seconds. Using a spatula, carefully bend a corner of the pancake to see if it’s golden on the other side. If it is, flip the pancake and cook until the second side is lightly golden, about 30 seconds. Transfer the pancake to a plate and keep warm until ready to serve. Repeat with the remaining butter and batter. You may have to reduce the heat as you continue to fry the pancakes.

To serve, roll the pancakes into cigars and divide among individual plates, along with the fresh blueberries.

Even if this is technically served as dinner in Norway, its a delicious sweet treat served in the afternoon or as a dessert.