Staffordshire oatcakes
Staffordshire oatcakes are wholemeal oat pancakes. Here they are filled with bacon, mushrooms and melted cheese. This makes a big batch – ideal for when you have guests, but the cooked oatcakes also freeze beautifully.
Ingredients
- 225g/8oz fine oatmeal
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú wholemeal flour
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú plain flour
- 1 tsp quick-action yeast
- pinch salt
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 12 rashers streaky bacon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 150²µ/5¼´Ç³ú chestnut mushrooms, cut in half
- 300g/10½oz mature cheddar cheese, grated
Method
Mix together the oatmeal, wholemeal flour, plain flour, yeast and salt in a bowl until well combined. Make a well in the centre of the mixture, then gradually add 825ml/1 pint 10fl oz waterwater in a thin stream, stirring well with a wooden spoon, until the batter is well combined and the consistency of thick double cream. (NB: You may not need to use all of the water.) Cover the batter with a damp, clean tea towel and set aside for 3–4 hours (or up to 8 hours in a cool place).
Once ready to cook the batter, whisk in the baking powder until well combined.
Heat a teaspoon of vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add a ladleful of the batter mixture and swirl the pan to coat the bottom of it in a thin layer of the batter. Fry the oatcake for 1–2 minutes, or until golden-brown on one side. Flip the oatcake and fry for a further minute, or until golden-brown on both sides.
Set the oatcake aside on a warm plate and cover with a sheet of greaseproof paper. Repeat the cooking process with the remaining batter mixture, to make about 12 oatcakes. Stack them on top of each other, separated by greaseproof paper, and keep warm.
Preheat the grill to its highest setting. When the grill is hot, arrange the streaky bacon onto a grill tray and grill for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until crisp and golden-brown on both sides. Set aside and keep warm.
Heat the olive oil in a separate frying pan over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and fry for 3–4 minutes, or until golden-brown and cooked through. Set aside and keep warm.
When ready to serve, heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Return one of the cooked oatcakes to the hot pan and sprinkle grated cheese over one half of it. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt, then place the bacon on top of the melted cheese and sprinkle over a spoonful of the mushrooms. Fold the other half of the oatcake over and continue to heat for a further minute, or until the cheese has fully melted. Repeat the process with the remaining oatcakes. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
To freeze the oatcakes, cook them up to and including step 4. Stack them with layers of greaseproof paper or non-stick baking paper between each pancake, then wrap well in two layers of cling film. They will keep for 4–6 months and can be defrosted invidually at room temperature.
You can also serve the Staffordshire oatcakes as part of a proper cooked breakfast.