Staffordshire oatcakes

Portion size: Makes 12
Makes 12. Prep time 10 min, plus 50 min resting. Cook time 5 min (per oatcake)
Difficulty: easy

Vegetarian

Anna Higham

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Learn how to make traditional Staffordshire oatcakes with this easy baking recipe from Anna Higham.

Heritage bake: Staffordshire oatcakes are a type of yeasted pancake made from oats and wholemeal flour. “They are somewhere between a pancake and a crumpet, and sit wonderfully in the British tradition of griddle cakes,” says Anna.

Best fillings: These simple griddle cakes work brilliantly with sweet or savoury filings. Here, we’ve served them warm with melted cheese and bacon for a quick breakfast. “I love them with melted salty butter and honey too,” says Anna.

Make it a flippin’ good brunch or dinner with more savoury pancake recipes.

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Ingredients

400g whole milk
1 tsp active dried yeast
2 tbsp light brown sugar
260g oat flour
190g wholemeal flour
2 tsp fine salt
Unsalted butter to fry
Cooked bacon to serve (optional)
Sliced or grated cheese to serve (optional)

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Method

Pour the milk into a saucepan along with 450ml water. Very gently warm until just tepid (if you have a thermometer, you’re aiming for around 32°C; if you don’t, it should be just slightly warm to the touch). Transfer to a mixing bowl, stir in the yeast and sugar, then cover the bowl with a tea towel and set aside for 20 minutes.
Remove the tea towel; the liquid should be foamy and bubbly. Combine the remaining ingredients (except the butter, bacon and cheese) in a separate bowl, whisk to combine, then whisk in the milk mixture. Cover and leave for another 30 minutes somewhere warm. The batter will be bubbly.
Heat a frying pan or cast-iron skillet over a medium heat. Add a knob of butter, then a ladleful of the batter (don’t stir the batter too much as you don’t want to disrupt the bubbles). Swirl the pan around like you would for a pancake, then cook until the bubbles have burst on top and the batter looks mostly dry (about 3 minutes). Flip and cook for another 30 seconds, then transfer the oatcake to a tray and cover with a tea towel. Repeat until all the batter is used up.
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Serve the oatcakes filled with hot bacon and cheese, or with whatever fillings you fancy.