Based on a recipe by Neil Parry in his book "Rockpool". Note: The resting of the dough at all stages is very important and guarantees the flakiness of the pancakes. Spring onions are referred to by many people as green onions. I used garlic shoots. Makes 12
Ingredients 200ml boiling water
360g plain flour 6 spring onions or garlic shoos (to make 4 TBsp)
1 tsp sea salt 2 tsp peanut oil to fry onions
1 egg beaten 2 TBsp peanut oil to fry
Method
Dough
Sift flourand add boiling water. Mix well. Add the beaten egg. Mix well.
Work the dough in the bowl with your hands until it comes together. Tip onto floured workbench and knead for 10 minutes until smooth (I used a Kitchenaid with dough hook). Return to bowl and cover with a cloth for 20 minutes
Filling
Discard the floppy green ends of the onions ( or garlic shoots); Wash, dry and then finely slice the remaining green tops of onions and a little of the white part. Quickly fry in a little peanut oil. Cool.
To make cakes
Divide dough in half and roll each half into a sausage shape with your hands. Cut each roll into 6 pieces.
Place cut end on a floured board and roll to a 10cm circle. Do the same wit the other 11 pieces. Brush each circle with peanut oil (I used left over from frying shoots). Scatter the onion mixture on the circle. Sprinkle with sea salt. Roll each pancake over the filling, pinching the ends to seal. Each pancake should now resemble a cigar. Very lightly flatten with your hand. Roll up the end of the pancake like a snail. Pinch ends to seal and leave it to rest on a plate, coiled side uppermost. Continue until all are done. Leave for 30minutes, covered with a tea towel. You can put these in the fridge until they are ready to fry.
Lightly flatten cakes with your hand and then dust workbench and rolling pin again with flour and roll out each flattened roll very thinly to a 12-14cm circle. Leave on a floured tray, not touching, and again covered with a tea-towel for another 30 minutes.
Heat a heavy-based frying pan and brush with the peanut oil. Place in as many pancakes as will fit easily without overlapping (one or two for most pans) and cook over a moderate heat for 2-3minutes each side. The pancake should bubble and develop golden-brown patches. Drain briefly on kitchen paper and serve at once.(Alternatively, keep warm in a low oven until all are fried)
Recipe provided by C. Cooney
(Garlic shoots can be substituted for spring onions in winter)