Scallion Pancake

These pancakes freeze well, so when there are scallions in abundance, make some and when you feel like having a pancake, just remove from freezer and throw one on to a hot pan.

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup hot water

1/2 cup room temperature water

Shortening for spreading

Scallions - cut fine

Salt to taste

Method:

Put 3 cups of flour in a big mixing bowl, make a well in the center and pour 1 cup hot water into it.

Using a wooden spoon or a chinese rolling pin, stir to mix and add in the room temperature water a little at a time, until no more loose flour is visible and a dough is formed.

Cover dough with a damp towel and leave to rest for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, knead dough until smooth and elastic. Leave dough covered to rest again for another 30 minutes.

After resting, flour the pastry board and roll out the dough as thinly as possible.

Spread softened shortening onto the rolled dough and sprinkle generously with salt, then the scallions.

Roll the dough up into a swiss roll.

Using your palm as a guide, pinch off a piece of rolled dough, the size of your palm and then pinch the ends to seal. Place one end on your palm, and press down the other end to make a disk. Line this disk to rest and proceed with the next piece. you should have 10 pieces or more if your palm is smaller.

Take the first disk and roll it to a very thin circle. If the dough is resisting, leave this to rest and continue with the next one and so forth. (pancake can be frozen for later serving)

Heat a frying pan with a little oil on medium high heat. Drop a piece of pancake in and as soon as the pancake gets set, flip it over. Fry until it is golden brown.

When pancake is done, using a chinese rolling pin, hold the pancake down about 1 - 2 inches from the edge, then using a spatula, push in the edge of pancake to the rolling pin. This will break up the pancake and makes it flaky.

Serve hot.

Alternatively:

you could divide down into 10 portions and roll 1 portion at a time, spread with shortening, salt and scallions.

Roll up like a swiss roll, then coil it up and tuck the ends in. Rest, then roll into thin circle.(pancakes can be frozen for later serving)

Fry as above

Serves