Traditional Scottish Oatcakes

A vegetarian version of the much-loved Scottish staple.

Vegetarian. Hands-on time: 5 mins. Total time: 25 mins.

Contributed by Mike Lewis (October 2010).

For centuries, oatcakes have been an essential feature of the Scottish diet. The traditional article is unsuitable for veggies as it's made with lard, but I had no difficulty adapting the recipe to use butter instead. (I've also tried making a vegan version, using dairy-free margarine, but so far without success.)

If anything, these vegetarian oatcakes taste better than the originals. They're crisp and flavorsome, and also reasonably healthy, oatmeal being high in vitamins B and E, protein and fiber. And if you're trying to lose weight, you'll find that oatcakes are great for keeping hunger at bay without greatly increasing your calorie intake.

This recipe will make 15 to 20 oatcakes. Eat them with butter, cheese, hummus, peanut butter, vegetarian paté - or just on their own.

Ingredients

• 3 cups (8 oz, 225 g) medium oatmeal
• 1 cup (4 oz, 110 g) self-raising flour
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup (3 oz, 75 g) butter, at room temperature
• Up to ½ cup (4 fl oz, 120 ml) cold water

Method

Oven: Pre-heat to 360F (180C)

Mix the oatmeal, flour, baking soda and salt, then rub in the butter. Add enough water to form a firm dough.

Place the dough on a floured board, and roll out as thinly as possible. Cut into rounds, using a cookie cutter or inverted tumbler.

Transfer the cakes to a greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides. Cool on a wire rack, and store in an airtight tin.

Note on quantities and temperatures:
Quantities are given in American (cups), imperial (oz, fl oz) and metric (g, ml) units. Do not mix the units - use one or other system throughout the recipe.
See also How much does a cup weigh?
oz = ounces, fl oz = fluid ounces, g = grams, ml = milliliters, tsp = teaspoons, tbsp = tablespoons.
Oven temperatures are given in degrees F (Fahrenheit) and C (Celsius).
For fan-assisted ovens, reduce the temperature by 20F or 10C.