Since returning to New Zealand we have become a family that roams from one game of sport to another on the weekends. Long gone are the days of a little extra snooze – it’s a marathon in itself just to get out of the door with all the kit in tow. Saturday mornings are junior rugby which conveniently finishes just in time for lunch.

Pancakes are a super quick, economical, warm and filling interlude between one sport and another. I favour the English style pancakes, which are thicker than crepes but still roll-able. This recipe can be thickened if you prefer the American style stack of pancakes.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups of milk
• 2 cups of plain flour

Mix all the ingredients together with a whisk until there are no lumps, leaving some milk out if you want a thicker pancake, or add more if you want crepes. If in doubt stick to the recipe!

Heat a large frying pan with a smooth surface to hot, do not oil the pan, instead just wipe the pan with a tiny bit of unflavoured oil (i.e. not olive). If your pan is a really good non stick one you won’t need any oil at all.

Pour a soup ladle full into the centre of the pan, and rotate the pan with your wrist until you have a nice round pancake of the desired size.

Turn down the heat to med-high and watch it carefully, when it has bubbled all over on one side flip it. The second side will only need a few seconds. You don’t want the pancakes to be coloured otherwise they won’t roll nicely, if they are too brown turn down the heat.

I like to keep mine warm in a very low oven, until you’ve finished making the batch, completely covered and tucked up tightly under tin foil (otherwise they will go crunchy on the edges).

Toppings are a matter of taste but here are some of our favourites:

• Lemon, butter and sugar (caster)
• Strawberries, chocolate spread and whipped cream
• Maple syrup with crispy bacon
• Grilled banana
• Blueberry compote
• Raspberries

P.S. because my cooking is much better than my photography I use some stock images. These lovely pancakes were photographed by Natalia Van Doninck.