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One of my ancestors in Briercliffe was listed as an oatcake maker - does anyone know a recipe for these?

An article that mentions Oatcake bakers Jill

http://www.burnleyexpress.net/peek-into ... 3697318.jp

I found this on another forum Jill.

think you probably mean Haverbread - the Lancashire regiment used to be known a the "Havercake lads" and it used to be cooked in Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire - so is a Pennine oatcake. I have an old recipe (which you could adapt) which is for a quart of water (= two pints), about 3 lbs fine oatmeal and 1 oz bread yeast. Stir everything together, gently working by hand until the mixrure is smooth. Cover and leave to rise. Pour in to cover the base of a hot frying pan or hot plate and when the first side is cooked, turn it over and cook the other side. Store in a tea towel while you cook the rest of the oatcakes. These were eaten hot and soft as you describe, stayfairly pliant for a few days but eventually go brittle. Staffordshire oatcakes are half oatmeal and half flour and are made with half milk and half water. Otherwise they are yeasted like Haverbread. If you go to http://www.dacha.freeuk.com/cook/index.htm Chris's Yorkshire Yummies has Haverbread recipes using baking powder instead of yeast and for smaller quantities. Her 2nd, third and fourth versions are more like Staffordshire oatcakes. being such old recipes I reckon there are as many versions as northern cooks!

Thankyou David I'll definitely be trying to make these (in a scaled down version!)

P.S. I think I've seen you posting on Family Tree Forum, see you there as well

Yes,it is a small World Jill

Welcome to the site Jill.

Not all Staffordshire oatcakes contain half milk/half water. The best ones contain no milk at all.

Am I right in thinking the northern oatcake is served with stew? Are they like the oatcakes that are often available in the supermarkets - near to crackers?
The Staffordshire oatcake is best eaten with a bacon/sausage fry-up. My mouth is watering at the thought!!

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Mel

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A version of the Oatcake is part of an old traditional Lancashire dish called Stew'n Hard. They had some strange names in those days lol.

And the hard is the oatcake...so it is like the things sold in the supermarkets?

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Mel

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I think the making of Hard is a black art. From what I understand it is basically an oatcake recipe but the dough is rolled out very thin to something akin to a washleather.It is then hung up to dry,the traditional way was to hang it over the old clothes drying rack that most homes had in the old days.
Think that Ryvita is probably quite near to Hard.
I think that one or two pubs in the area ,and I mean one or two,still serve Stew and Hard.

I think hard is similar texture to a slightly tough pancake, because you could fold it around the stew, the stew was delicious it was like a jellied beef. You could still buy it in the markethall up to a few years ago, I wonder if you still can? Stephanie.

Yes Stephanie,a lot of butchers still sell Stew and I know that you used to be able to buy it on both Burnley and Colne markets.Think it was made from Shin of Beef and I think some versions was cooked with Pig's Trotters in as well to make the stew set.

They still sell stew in the butchers Harle Syke, and it is very good on top of chips, it melts--yummy.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Hi Jill, Here is an old receipe for Oatcakes:
4oz medium oatmeal (or 3oz. oatmeal and 1oz. flour)
A pinch of bicarbonate of soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 level tbsp. bacon fat or dripping
Boiling water to mix

Mix dry ingredients, melt fat with 1 tablespoon water, pour into centre.
Mix to a soft consistency with boiling water. Knead lightly on a floured board and roll out very thinly. Cut into 8 triangles and bake on floured tin in a moderately hot oven (400 f.) until the ends curl up and cakes are crisp- 20-30mins; or cook on a hot gridle until the edges curl, then toast lightly in the oven. Stephanie.

Is this stew not as I would think of stew then? It sounds more like a brawn type thing or duck eggs?

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Mel

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It was a type of beef brawn in jelly Mel, not a potato in sight. Stephanie.