Bannock Pizza
PIZZA
We all love it. From those, like myself, who prefer a classic margarita, to the heathens and their pineapple (you know who you are), pizza personifies simple, seasonal ingredients and perfect technique. Inspired by the new Chefs Table series on Netflix, I decided to try my hand at something a bit different.
Most commonly, pizza dough is made using high gluten strong white flour, resulting in a soft, chewy, pillowy base. But this type of wheat needs a lot of sunlight to produce gluten proteins which has become a signature of bread commonly found in Southern European cuisines. With lower light levels found in northern countries, the wheat can’t produce proteins as well, which is why grains such as barley, rye and oats are more common. The wheat varieties from northern countries also provide us with complex flavour, nutrients and are highly adapted to often harsh environments. But crucially, they don’t make the same airy white loaf we’ve come to expect. So they aren’t as popular.
This pizza, using basil, tomato and garlic grown at the garden, is made using a traditional Scottish flatbread called bannock.
Bannocks are made with flour and oatmeal, but here I used a foraged acorn meal as well to tie it into the season. For a recipe on producing acorn flour, click here. Whilst it was my plan to use Hen Gymro flour for this recipe too, my local miller Felin Ganol watermill and producers have been dealing with a summer drought so I’ve had to substitute it with spelt.
Coming from the Old Celtic “bannuc”, from the Latin for “bread” or “baked”, this flatbread recipe first appeared in Scotland around the 8th century and is still made today. Hand-shaped, thin, biscuity and boasting an impressive depth and savouriness, bannocks have 100% become my new favourite pizza base!
When it comes to bread, one of the biggest challenges producers face is consumer demand. We expect the same loaf every time, but crops are always seasonal, changing over months and years. Why can’t we treat bread like wine? Where season and vintage are a part of the ever changing complexity we love and celebrate?
Bannock Pizza - Serves 2-3
Base ingredients:
300g Oatmeal
265g Spelt flour
30g Acorn flour (or add 30g more oatmeal instead)
370ml Buttermilk (or split milk* see instructions)
2tsp Baking powder
A pinch of salt
Toppings:
800g Fresh tomatoes
1 Garlic bulb
100g Young goats cheese / Plant-based feta
A handful of fresh basil
A few pinches of fresh parsley
A pinch of salt
20ml Extra virgin olive oil
Step 1.
Preheat the oven to 190C / 375f and very roughly chop up the tomatoes and pile them into a roasting tray with a drizzle of oil and pinch of salt. Don’t worry about spacing them out as you usually would when roasting food, we want them to break down, release their liquid, then reduce (as seen below). This will take about 45 minutes.
Step 2.
Cut the root end of a bulb of garlic off and brush with oil and a pinch of salt. Wrap it in foil or place in a small baking dish (with a lid) and place in the oven for 45 minutes to roast.
Step 3.
Whilst the tomatoes roast, mix together all the dry ingredients for the bannock dough, then add the liquid and knead until a dough is formed. Once it comes together, cover and rest for 15 minutes, this will allow time for the oatmeal to absorb more liquid and bake evenly in the oven.
Step 4.
Split the dough into two pieces and press them into 1cm thick discs (on a floured surface). You can use a rolling pin if you wish but I prefered the rustic finish to hand-shaped. Place two cast iron / oven proof pans on the hob and get them hot whilst you remove the tray of tomatoes from the oven. Drizzle each pan with a little oil and lay the flatbreads into them. You should hear a sizzle right away (if you aren’t sure they’re hot enough, place a wooden spoon or chopstick against the oil and see if it bubbles).
Fry the flatbread one way up for a minute, then carefully flip it over. Remove it from the heat as you dress the top of the pizza with roasted tomatoes and crumbled cheese, then drizzle with a little more oil and a pinch of salt before placing them both in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Step 5.
Meanwhile, blend the fresh basil and parsley into oil to make a rustic herb dressing and set aside for later. When the garlic has turned golden and soft, remove it from the oven and wait for the pizza to finish cooking.
When finished, remove both pizzas from the oven and squeeze the roast garlic cloves on top, dotting them about and mushing them into the tomato. Dress with the herb oil and serve in the pan.