Scottish Oatcakes Recipe

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I did discover another Scottish delicacy at Aden Park, actually when I was older in Junior High I believe, we had another field trip out there because of this weird thing that Scottish Schools do, or at least my school did. For two weeks in Spring after the Easter Holiday we get the option to go on a school trip. Selection was by lottery and one year I went to Italy on a bus, yes a bus. A bus? A bus from Aberdeen in the freaking highlands of Scotland to Italy on and in the Mediterranean. On a bus? Yes, it was quite horrible really.   I had actually wanted to go to Austria, I had but I lost in the lottery for Austria, at least I didn't have to go to Brussels, which would have sucked. 

I just had this strange idea that Belgium was a terrible place. When I did eventually go in 2001 I found that it was not really a terrible place.  It is sort of the Canada of Europe. A progressive country that no one pays attention to, because they are rather silly in their jolly little way, the quiet kid in the back of the room that is too afraid to raise his hand for fear of being laughed at. Tsk Tsk, silly Belgium what are you going to say next?  

I had to wait until my second year at Harlow Academy to experience a “fun” rather cramped three day bus ride from one edge of Europe to the other. 

My first year, after just arriving from Syria, there was no place in any of the cool trips so I had to take the "Around Scotland" trip that meant we went home every night. 

Truly I did see some cool things I had never seen before. It is the same anywhere, so many people who live in New York have never been to the Statue of Liberty, people in London don’t go to the Tower, and in Scotland, you tend to avoid all the tourist traps to escape being trapped by tourists and hauled away in a giant plaid suitcase by some oversized loud mouthed big haired broad from Slaughter Bend Indiana as a souvenir. Thus Edinburgh Castle, Loch Ness, and the like are places that just happen to other people. 

Anyway, back at Aden Park, the site of a nice Regency Mansion that was now a ruin, with an agricultural museum located in the large restored semi-circular stable wing (With Freaking HUGE DOVECOTE, which surprised the hell out of me because until then I didn’t know that doves wore coats…ok bad pun.) There they had a flat at the end set up as the lodging of the Farm Overseer, circa 1900 or whatever they call it. There was an old lady there who was very sweet. She had actually grown up as the daughter of some servants at Aden  when it was still functioning as a Manor house, (Just before world war two) and now lived in the farm quarters and made oatcakes and played up the “Ooo Arr, I be a country bumpkin what is I! Saint’s aloive” anyway she was making fresh oatcakes for the goggle eyed tourists and I tried one, 10 years in Scotland and I had never had an oatcake. 

The texture is similar to that of a stale rice cake, and the flavor is reminiscent of dusty cardboard.  They are however very traditional and a perfect vehicle for loads of butter laden potatoes, whiskey laced jam and potted cheese. 

Ingredients: 

1 Cup of oatmeal

¼ Cup of warmed vegetable shortening

1-2 tablespoons of water (you may need more)

Pinch of salt

Pinch of baking powder 

Method: 

Heat a griddle or large heavy bottomed skillet over medium low heat, (Preferably non stick). Mix the oatmeal. Salt and baking powder and shortening together till well combined, add a tablespoon of water, and form into a ball. If it is too dry add a little more water drop by drop. 

You can cook these three ways:

1: Pat out in a large circle until 1/4 “ thick place this on pan or griddle and cook slowly till the edges start to brown, and then flip and cook the other side. Should take about 3-4 minutes a side.

2: Pat out in a large circle until 1/4” thick, cut with a sharp wet knife or pizza wheel into 6 wedges and cook as in 1.

3: Take small walnut sized balls of mixture and flatten till about ¼” thick, then cook as in 1.

All can be reheated in the oven.

Word of warning do not try to double the recipe, it dries out to fast and should still be warm from the melted fat when cooked. Make it in small batches if you need to make more oatcakes.

NOTE: Some people say oats are gluten free some do not, there is a debate about it. If in doubt, don't try it.