My Nana taught me to cook by feel, but preserving and sharing Balkan recipes is part of the reason I joined Substack. Making these Serbian palačinke at home will require some adjustments and intuition, but I’ve done my best to provide you with a guide to your own comforting stack of thin, delectable crêpes.
Here’s what you need to get started:
3c flour (and extra just in case)
4 eggs
4c milk (and extra just in case)
1/2 tsp vanilla
Salt (a pinch)
Oil
Nana used canola or vegetable oil. I use grapeseed just because it’s healthier. Whatever you use should be neutral tasting (olive/coconut oil not recommended).
She would pour it into a small bowl and drizzle it into the pan with a spoon, which is what I did. If you have a neutral oil in one of those delightful bottles that drizzles it out perfectly, that’s great, too.
You’ll also need:
Large mixing bowl
Whisk
A good nonstick frying pan (I use a 12-inch. Yours doesn’t have to be that large, but I’d say no smaller than 8 inches.)
Ladle
A good palačinke flipper
I mentioned my Nana’s palačinke knife in my last post—an old kitchen knife she kept around after it dulled because it’s perfect for flipping. As far as I know, I have the only one in existence and I will protect it at all costs, so you’ll need a substitute.
You can use a heat-resistant silicone or rubber spatula. One of the kind that’s about an inch wide but still a good ten inches long should work.
You can also use a frosting spreader—that’s what my mom uses and recommends.
Time to mix the batter. Toss the flour, eggs, milk, salt, and vanilla in a bowl and whisk it until the batter forms. It doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth, but it does have to be thin. Palačinke should be thin with crispy edges, not thick and fluffy like pancakes. Here’s what the batter should look like:
You’ll probably have to tweak the amounts of each ingredient until you find the best batter. Most of the time you’ll need a touch more milk, but this is where balance is key. Too much milk will leave your palačinke a gooey mess when you go to flip. However, you often can’t figure that out until you get batter in the pan, so let’s move on.
Heat up your nonstick pan on the stove on medium to medium-high heat. When you can feel the heat rising from above the stove, drizzle the oil and let it heat up for a few seconds. Scoop a ladle of batter (I fill mine all the way up because I use a large pan— If your pan is smaller, you’ll want less) and empty it into the pan.
Immediately pick up the pan in your other hand and swirl the batter around until it coats the bottom of the pan. Tilt and swirl so that the final drips of batter settle along the edges. A demonstration:
Bubbles will start to appear, but it could take a minute or two before the palačinke is ready to flip. I should note: I am cooking in Denver. The mile-high altitude doesn’t generally affect cooking that much, but just in case, I’m describing what you should be looking for, rather than exact times.
When the edges start to look dry, take your flipper and gently work it under the palačinke to peek. If the batter is lightly browned and the palačinke feels sturdy, you can flip. Best to use a quick, sure motion— it’s all in the wrist.
It will take another minute or two until the palačinke is ready. There will be a little bit more bubbling, and the other side of the palačinke will be golden brown. Have a plate nearby to catch your stack of thin, comforting pancakes. When the palačinke is done, I take the the pan right off the stove and flip it upside down over the plate. It’s satisfyingly dramatic, but also is the best way to keep the palačinke intact and stacked.
Repeat this process until all of your batter is gone. Again, it’s ok to tinker with the batter until it cooks correctly. A splash more milk may be necessary. Remember, if you put in too much milk, your palačinke will be mushy in the middle and won’t flip. Add a dash more flour.
To eat, you roll. There are so many ways to fill palačinke, but my personal favorite is a simple mix of cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle it over the pancake, roll it up and dig in. Jam has also been a longtime favorite in my family. For this round of palačinke, I also tried some peach jam I picked up at the farmer’s market. Nutella is also a great choice.
Enjoy cooking my favorite comfort food and making it your own! I’d love to hear how it goes, and what fillings you use. If palačinke are already a tradition in your family, I want to hear how you make them, too!
I made these this morning! Filled them with goat cheese scrambled eggs and ham for breakfast, so good.
I just made these last week! So delicious!!