Bannock is a kind of flat bread that is easy to make and can be cooked on a fire. It's the versatility of bannock and the irresistible allure of comfort food that has made it an enduring favorite of all who share a meal around a campfire.
Bannock can be flattened and used as a vehicle for just about anything. Fill them with leftovers or use them to make breakfast burritos, burgers or hot dogs.
Bannock can also be topped with cinnamon and sugar and served as a dessert or teatime treat. Lighter, fluffier bannock is cut into wedges and served as scones. In fact, in Scotland, the word bannock and scone are used interchangeably.
Navajo fry bread is an iteration of bannock that is used as a delicious base for any topping. Use it to make tacos or as a base for chill. Just about any topping (savory or sweet) goes well with this fry bread recipe.
I find it particularly helpful on long trips where the weight of my backpack is a factor. Fresh breads go stale or get squished in the confines of a backpack, but you can take the dry ingredients with you and make fresh bread on the trail.
You can do this by mixing the dry ingredients at home and keeping them in a sealable bag in your backpack. Just add the oil and water when you are ready to feast.
What You'll Need:
- 4 cups flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 tsp. salt
- 3 tbsp. oil
- 1 cup warm water
- Oil for frying
Method:
Mix the dry ingredients together. Add oil and just enough water to form a firm dough that doesn't stick to the hands. Knead the dough until it is smooth and silky. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Divide into six portions and flatten with the palm of your hand to form discs. Poke a hole in the center of each disc to allow the oil to bubble through. This will help the fry bread to cook evenly and the hole will close up as it fries.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium fire. Drop the fry bread in and cook for two minutes or until the edges turn brown. Turn over and fry for another two minutes or until golden brown.
Make the bread as big or as small as you need -- depending on what you are using it for. Serve hot.
Tips: You can also bake Navajo fry bread in a Dutch oven on the coals. If you don't have cookware on your adventure, divide the dough into six portions and flatten with the palm of your hand.
Find a long stick (the kind that would be perfect for roasting marshmallows) and wrap the dough around the stick. Hold the stick over the fire, turning regularly, until the dough turns brown on the outside and is cooked through.
This recipe comes to us from the Flaming Marshmallow's Guide to Campfire Cooking which is available here.
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