The oldest types of bread are most likely pancakes. They're known by various types throughout the world. They can be consumed warm, as well as cold; sweet, as well as salty.
The origin of pancakes dates back to antiquity, with information about their consumption dating back to ancient Greece and Rome.
The first clearly-written recipes for pancakes were included in cookbooks from 1493. During the cooking process, they are baked only on one side at any given moment. This requires flipping them over, in order to fully bake.
The composition of pancakes can widely vary. Classic pancakes are made as follows:
Ingredients: 1 cup of flour, 2 cups of milk (can substitute half of it with water), 3 large or 4 small eggs, 2 pinches of salt, 1 tbsp powdered sugar, 1 powder packet of vanilla, 1 tbsp of oil, 1 1/3 tbsp melted butter.
Preparation: Place the flour in a deep container and make a well. Whisk the eggs as you would for an omelette and pour them into the flour (or one by one). Slowly add half the milk, while stirring for 2 - 3 min. to get a smooth mixture.
To this, add the salt, oil, melted butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Pour in the remaining half of the milk. Cover the mixture and let it stay for half an hour at room temperature. Fry the pancakes on low heat and then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Besides the universal recipe, there are many recipes with additional ingredients in the blend, such as tomatoes, bacon or even raisins.
Every country has its own style and history of making pancakes. In the US, for example, pancakes are eaten mainly for breakfast, while in Holland, they are a dinner food.
In England, there is even a pancake holiday (Pancake Day), where beer is included in the traditional recipe. There is a German recipe for pancakes with beaten eggs, which are cooked very thinly and served with marmalade or jelly.
The Russian version of pancakes is called blini. They are usually made with buckwheat and are thin, crispy, served with caviar and cream or rolled up with a filling of cream cheese or jam.
French pancakes are served with flaming cognac. In Mexico, they have a variety of pancake - a corn pita, that is often served with beans or meat, garnished with tomato sauce.
