Cheesy Oatcakes with Tomato Jam

A favourite on our weekly "aperi-tasting" grove tours

Scott by name, Scot by nature, my husband LOVES oatcakes! I think that it's probably fair to say that he has never met an oatcake that he does not like! His favourite style is the cheesy version.

Whilst living in Scotland in the early two thousands, our dear friend Jill shared her cheesy oatcake recipe with me, and some years later, while Scott was away serving in Afghanistan for six months, I used to make these oatcakes every Monday, and send him a batch in his weekly care parcel.

Many years later, in the "Covid Spring" of 2020, in common with so many others, I got into the habit of making sourdough bread. Unlike many others, however, I continue this habit even now. When feeding my sourdough starter, I often give the discard portion to my hens, or even to the dogs, as I cannot bear to throw away this healthy side product, packed full of probiotics. However, I during that spring, I experimented with sourdough discard in Jill's cheesy oatcake recipe, and came up with this version, known as Bastion Biscuits! If you don't have sourdough discard, don't worry, simply substitute with flour and a little water, and increase the mustard slightly for extra tanginess.

Faced with a massive glut of homegrown tomatoes, and no house guests during the "Covid Summer" of 2020, we added this delicious, Italian recipe for tomato jam to our beloved cheesy oatcakes, and so was born the delicious combo of "Bastion Biscuits with Lockdown Jam!

This is a favourite on our weekly "aperi-tasting" grove tours, and I'm delighted to share it here:

recipe

For the oatcakes (makes around 24 with a 5cm diameter):

  • 150g rolled oats

  • 150g sourdough starter discard (the portion that you remove when feeding your starter). NOTE! This can be substituted by 75 grammes of Type 00 flour, and approximately 50cl of cold water.

  • 4 tablespoons of melted butter (haven’t tried it with Olive Hill Sabina Extra Virgin Olive Oil yet!)

  • 150g strong cheese - grated. Here in Italy, I use parmesan, but cheddar would also be more traditional

  • half a teaspoon of mustard powder

  • pinch of salt

Heat the oven to 190 degrees: mine is a fan oven, so 200 degrees would be better in a traditional electric oven

Place the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl, and roughly combine using a wooden spoon.

Fold in the sourdough starter, then the melted butter, and finally the cheese.

Knead the mixture into a ball, place on a floured surface, and roll out to a thickness of approximately half a centimetre.

Cut into cookie shapes, and place on a baking tray, lined with floured baking parchment.

Place in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes, adjust the time as necessary until they are golden brown, and smell delicious.

Allow to cool on a cooling rack (if you can wait that long), then store in an airtight container. They will last for several weeks.

For the Lockdown Jam:

  • One can of chopped tomatoes (even better with fresh tomatoes, but you do need to peel and chop them!)

  • 3 tablespoons of quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil: preferably ours!

  • 1 small onion, finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon of quality honey (preferably ours!)

  • pinch of salt

  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan, add the onion, and fry off until it's translucent, NOT brown.

Add the sugar, and fry for a further minute.

Chuck everything else in, stir well, and bring to the boil.

Lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Allow to cool, then spread onto the cooled Bastion Biscuits.