Like a few vegans whose blogs I enjoy, I'm trying to move towards a zero waste life. It's a massive task, and I wouldn't claim to be anywhere near it right now, but I'm trying to do what I can, where I can.
Take oatcakes. I love oatcakes. I really really like oatcakes. The reason I don't eat them more often is that the ready made versions seem to come either in unrecyclable individual plastic packets or in unrecyclable plastic trays.
The thought of all that plastic finally got to me, and I decided it was high time that I learnt how to make oatcakes for myself. I started out with this recipe from the BBC, and I've adapted it gradually over time to a recipe that reliably turns out decent oatcakes time after time.
After finally finding porridge oats that come in paper, not plastic (hooray!) I can now cook homemade oatcakes that don't generate waste that'll stick around on this earth longer than I will.
I love savoury toppings on my oatcakes: give me some cashew cheese and maybe some chutney, and I'll be a happy vegan bunny. The next step in my zero waste plan for world domination: find a way to make zero waste vegan cheese!
Oatcakes
Makes 12-15 oatcakes
Ingredients
50g oat flour (blitz some porridge oats using a stick blender, it only takes a couple of seconds)
25g rolled oats
40g of self raising flour
a quarter teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
a quarter teaspoon of salt
One tablespoon of olive oil or similar
One tablespoon of vegan margarine or similar
4-5 tablespoons of water
Extra flour for dusting
How you do it
Preheat the oven to 190C.
Put the oat flour, oats, self raising flour, bicarb, and salt together and mix thoroughly
Add the oil and margarine, and stir again. You'll get something like chunky breadcrumbs.
Then add the water and mix to a dough.
Adding water's the tricky bit - depending on your oats and flour, you might find your dough's still a bit dry. If so, add a little more, half teaspoon by half teaspoon, until you have a stable dough. A little bit wet is better than a little bit dry, as the dough I'll dry out as you roll it out.
So, when you're happy with the dough, flour your board and rolling pin, and roll the dough out nice and thin.
Then cut out rounds (I used a normal glass to cut them out, but a biscuit cutter would do the job even better), and put them on a greased baking sheet.
Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Your oatcakes look so pretty - as well as being so admirable in avoiding packaging - I can't say I am getting there but would still like to try your oatcakes
ReplyDeleteI've made thicker, bready oat bannocks, but never the thin, oatcakes you present here. They look like something I would adore, and eat too many of. I may have to give them a try. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the elegant photos! Very beautiful.
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