Resting time:
1–2 hrs

Ingredients:
1 cup oat bran
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 tsp fine salt
2 tsp dried yeast
1 1⁄4 cups milk
unsalted butter, for frying

For the filling:
9oz (250g) cheese, such as Cheddar
or red Leicester, grated
20 slices bacon

Method:
1 Sift together the oat bran, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt.

2 Add the dried yeast to 13⁄4 cups warm water and whisk well until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the milk and water mixture.

3 Whisk the mixture together until the batter is completely smooth. Cover and set aside for 1–2 hours, until small bubbles start to appear on the surface of the batter.

4 Melt a tablespoon of butter in a large, non-stick frying pan and, when it begins to sizzle, wipe any excess away quickly with a piece of paper towel.

5 Pour a ladleful of the oatcake mixture into the center of the frying pan, and then tip the pan to allow the batter to spread all around. The idea is to cover the surface of the pan very quickly with a thin layer of the batter.

6 Cook the oatcakes for a couple of minutes on each side, turning them when the edges are cooked through and the first side is golden brown. Set the cooked oatcakes aside in a warm place and continue until all the batter has been used up.

7 Meanwhile, preheat the broiler and broil the bacon. Sprinkle a handful of grated cheese all over the surface of an oatcake.

8 Place it under the broiler for a couple of minutes until the cheese has completely melted. Place 2 slices of bacon on top of the melted cheese to 1 side of the oatcake, and roll it up before serving.

BAKER’S TIP:
These traditional oatcakes are really savory pancakes, though a little more wholesome, and make a fantastic breakfast treat every once in a while. For an even quicker breakfast, the batter can be made the night before and stored, covered, in the refrigerator overnight.

Staffordshire Oatcakes