Pancakes with strawberries

Make the batter: whisk together 100g plain flour, a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp caster sugar. Make a well in the centre, add 2 eggs, then gradually whisk in 250ml milk until smooth. Stir in the melted butter, lemon zest and lemon juice. Rest for 15 minutes. While the batter rests, make the strawberry sauce: combine 300g halved strawberries with 3 tbsp caster sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of black pepper in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries soften and release a glossy sauce. Set aside. Heat a non-stick 20cm crêpe pan over medium-high heat. Add a small knob of butter and swirl to coat. Pour in a ladleful of batter (about 60ml), immediately tilting the pan to spread it thinly and evenly. Cook each crêpe for about 1–1.5 minutes until the edges are set and lightly golden underneath, then flip and cook for a further 30 seconds. Stack cooked crêpes on a warm plate. Repeat to make 6–8 crêpes, adding butter as needed. Fold each crêpe in half, then in half again to form a triangle. Arrange 3–4 triangles per plate, slightly overlapping. Spoon the warm strawberry sauce generously over one side of the crêpe triangles, letting it pool naturally on the plate. Dust the crêpes liberally with icing sugar using a fine sieve just before serving. Tip: Rest the batter for at least 15 minutes (or overnight in the fridge) to allow the gluten to relax — this gives you more tender, pliable crêpes that are far less likely to tear when folding.

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