Black Pepper Oatcakes

Ingredients

OATCAKES:

2 cups rolled oats

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

cold water

GLAZE (optional):

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

coarse sea salt

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Place one cup of rolled oats in the bowl of a food processor. Process until very fine like a flour.

Add the remaining cup of oats, butter, salt and pepper. Pulse until coarse crumbs appear.

With the processor running, slowly add enough water just until the mixture resembles large curds. Don’t wait for it to form a ball and ride on the blade, or you risk overdoing it.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Bring it together with your hands adding more water if necessary. You want a soft, cohesive dough that isn’t sticky.

Roll the dough out to an 1/8-inch thickness. Using a pastry cutter, cookie cutter, or knife cut the dough into any shapes you like. Transfer the crackers to a large baking sheet.

Combine the milk and sugar in a small bowl stirring to dissolve the sugar. Brush the tops of the crackers and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 20 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly browned.

Allow crackers to cool on the sheet for five minutes then remove to a wire rack.

Store in airtight containers when completely cool.