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Bannock Recipe

Flour was a rare treat for the voyageurs. When they had it, they would make a sort of flatbread that they called "galette", or bannock in English. Sometimes they even prepared it in the flour sack itself. They would simply pour in some water, mixing it with the flour to form a flat dough.

Bannock was cooked by the campfire. On you next night around the fire, why not try swapping toasted marshmallows for bannock?

  1. Equipment required
  2. Ingredients
  3. Method

Equipment required

  • Frying pan, preferably cast iron or other heavy duty
  • Mixing bowl

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Ingredients

  • Small amount of oil or fat
  • 500 ml (2 cups) all purpose flour
  • Water

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Method

  1. Make a well or hole in the middle of the flour. Add about 2 tablespoons (30ml) of water in the hole. Gently work the water into the flour around the edges of the well.
  2. As the flour and water mixture begins to form a ball, add a little more water, about a teaspoon (15ml) at a time. Keep working in more flour.
  3. When you have used all but ¼ cup (60ml) of the flour, knead the flour ball into the remaining flour until consistency resembles soft play-dough. If your ball is too stiff, gently work in a little more water. Pat the ball into a cake of dough about ½ inch (1.25cm) thick.
  4. To cook on a campfire, wrap the dough around a stick and place it at the side of the fire. Move it often to cook it through and to make sure it does not burn. For stovetop cooking, heat the frying pan to medium. Add a little oil or lard to prevent sticking. You can also use an electric frying pan. Cook on medium to medium-high heat until dough begins to brown. Flip and cook the other side.

For more flavour, you can add fat, berries, salt or even eggs to the dough. If the dough is well kneaded, the bannock should be tough and chewy.

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