Cast Iron Bannock (or, Bread Thingies)
This is a favourite recipe in cold weather. If you have less than 9 people (plus farm-helper guests) in your household, you may want to make a half batch. This has been a great success with one of our farm people that is allergic to wheat.. she can eat things made from this dough after a few days of fermentation.
3 c warm water
1.5 Tbsp yeast
1.5 Tbsp salt
6.5 cups flour (at least 5 c white flour for best results, rest can be mixed other flours)
Mix the water and yeast in a big bowl, let it sit a bit so that the yeast dissolves. Add salt and flours, mix. Cover. Place somewhere warm and ignore for at least 12 hours. If you have a cold pantry where you can keep it, the dough stays usable for up to 5 days (after which it gets a bit too alcoholic), or you can keep it in the fridge. For best results, give the dough a bit of time to warm up if it’s kept really chilled.
Use resulting dough to make:
BREAD THINGIES: Take a scoop of dough, stuff it with whatever cooked ingredients please you. (Cheese and jam! Bacon and cheese! Pork and leeks! Chocolate and marshmallows! Pulled pork! The chunky bits from leftover stew!)
Fry in lots of fat (lard is best) until both sides are golden and it has risen a bit (at least 5 mins).
BREAD or BUNS: add enough flour to allow you to form it on a baking dish without being a sloppy mess, cook at 350-425 until done. Very nice crust when you cook it in a pre-heated dutch oven, high heat, with the lid on.
PIZZA: Roll it out on a heavily floured surface, with lots of flour on top, so it doesn’t stick to your rolling pin. Put pizza stuff on top. Cook like pizza.
The possibilities are endless!! Have you tried something like this before? Tell us your secret recipe.. please?