Salty Onion Pancakes

Ingredients

• 200 g/1½ cups unbleached plain/all-purpose flour or millet or wholemeal/whole wheat flour
• 110 ml/½ cup boiling water
• 3 teaspoons cold water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing and frying
• 70 g/¾ cup onions, thinly sliced
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 spring onions/scallions, washed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Method

Add the flour to a bowl and pour in the boiling water. Mix well, add the cold water and stir until the dough is evenly moistened. Place the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, which will take about 4 minutes. Dust the surface and your hands with more flour, if necessary, to prevent sticking. Wrap the dough in clingfilm/plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

In a frying pan/skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté the sliced onions with a pinch of salt and the dried oregano until they’re soft and fragrant. Remove the onions from heat and mix in the spring onions/scallions, dark sesame oil and salt.

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each into a 15-cm/ 6-in. circular pancake and brush each one with a little oil.

Divide the onion mixture between the 4 pieces and spread it into the dough. Next, coil each piece of dough into a snail shape and tuck the end underneath. Now, with the help of a rolling pin, press on top of the ‘snail’, rolling it into a circular pancake shape again, about 5 mm/1⁄5 in. thick. Repeat with the other 3 pieces of dough. Heat a pancake pan (cast-iron is best) over a medium heat. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon olive oil for each pancake, and fry on both sides until slightly golden. Slice each pancake into 4 triangles before serving. Serve with stews, soups, spreads and salads.