These freshly baked Oatcakes form week 4 of my new year’s resolution for 2013 to cook at least one new thing every week, for the year. Perfect for a Burns Night supper. Yummy!
To help me on my way with this challenge throughout the year, I shall be doing a monthly cook with Nigella Lawson from her lovely How To Be a Domestic Goddess book.
I am pretending that the Goddess herself is here with me in the kitchen; guiding me, ignoring the mess I’ve made and the flour I’ve somehow got on the cat and laughing whole heartedly at all of my jokes. I shall be trying to ooze glamour and an ease and comfort within the kitchen. As the gorgeous Nigella herself says…
“What I’m talking about is not being a domestic goddess exactly, but feeling like one.”
How To Be a Domestic Goddess – Oatcakes Recipe
Oat Cake Ingredients
(Makes 15-20)
- 250g porridge oats
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tablespoon of lard or butter melted
- 75-200ml hot water from a recently boiled kettle
How To Make Oat Cakes
- Preheat the oven to 200c/gas mark 6
- Put the oats in a bowl and add the salt and bicarbonate of soda.
- Make a well, pour in the fat and, stirring with a wooden spoon, enough hot water to mix to a stiff dough. If you are using oatmeal, you should need about 75ml; with porridge oats you may need as much as 200ml.
- Knead it for a while to make it come smoothly together, then roll it out as thinly as you can.
- Cut into triangles or rounds and bake on an ungreased baking tray for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are turning golden-brown and the oatcakes themselves are firm (they’ll crisp up on cooling). Remove to a wire rack to cool.
I was so pleased with the look and taste of these that it filled me with enthusiasm and bravery and I added my own addition to the recipe for the next lot…and mixed a handful of finely grated parmesan into the dough and sprinkled some more on top before baking. I think they turned out rather well and certainly left me feeling rather Goddessy!
I actually omitted the salt from Nigella’s recipe as I don’t like to add any salt to my children’s diet if I can help it. I think these moreish little crackers will make a great lunchbox addition or healthy afterschool snack, perhaps with a slice of cheese or banana. They are definitely something I’ll be making again.
Thanks Nigella.
Oatcakes taken from How To Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson, published by Chatto & Windus. Used by permission of The Random House Group Limited
How To Be a Domestic Goddess is available to buy online at rBooks
