Reflections on a Recipe for Bannock

What is Bannock?

Bannock! If there was ever one thing that brought people together regardless of where you come from - it is a staple carb. In some cultures it is roti, baguette, tortilla, potato, and in mine, it is Bannock. We bake it, fry it, top it with meat, dip it in stews or eat it slathered in butter. This was the food I brought to potlucks with friends or at school, usually made by my father early that morning in plain and raisin varieties. Bannock is how I connect to my culture, my roots. I even play for an Indigenous volleyball team called the Bannock Bums! It was also one of the first foods I ever made for myself after moving out on my own for University (deep-fried, of course). 

It was the perfect food to start my cooking journey - at the time I could barely make Kraft Dinner. My first time making bannock is one I remember clearly. I lived in my first apartment in 2019 with two roommates. It was my first time living away from home, in a brand new city. I felt too awkward to ever cook anything in our shared kitchen but microwave ramen noodles and coffee. One weekend where I was bored and feeling alone I texted my Dad, asking for his bannock recipe to try it out. I vividly recall buying the flour from the convenience store down the street and getting down to work at our tiny kitchen table, kneading dough and filling up my shallow frying pan with canola oil to deep fry it. I couldn’t get the bannock cooked all the way through, so after a few tries, I ended up using the rest of my dough to fry donut-hole sized miniature bannocks.

Creating My Own Bannock Recipe

The process of creating this recipe and remembering my experiences making it both alone and with my father were honestly quite healing. To reflect on how far I’ve come, not only in my baking journey but in the past few years since I have moved out and away from my hometown of Thunder Bay. As a young adult, I feel that creating anything of your own makes you feel a little happy and proud inside. For me, that pride is created by this recipe. 

I’d like to think that since my first try at making bannock, I have improved. I’ve even stopped using my dad’s recipe (or this one from AllRecipes), and developed a recipe of my very own to share with you all. This took some trial and error in the kitchen - and although I’d like to think that I have perfected this recipe - feel free to make any changes or additions of your own! The basic recipe for bannock is simple - mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Make a “well” in the bowl for your wet ingredients of choice (typically water or milk, as well as a fat) and mix until it comes together as a dough. In my recipe, a few changes are made. I swap the typical white flour for whole wheat, and milk for greek yogurt. The great thing about bannock is that it really is what you make it - you can add raisins, herbs, salt or sugar to taste.

I figured that it would only be appropriate to share my own recipe for bannock on my website Tea and Bannock. My version of Bannock is a healthier spin on a food I have loved since my childhood. I invite you all to give this recipe a try and share your results with me through my website or Instagram!

Recipe for Bannock

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1  tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ cup greek yogurt
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 tbsp melted butter or oil

Instructions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix until combined. Form a “well” in the bottom of your ingredients.
• Pour water greek yogurt, and oil in "well." of dry ingredients. Mix with dry ingredients until a dough forms. 
• Drop dough onto floured surface and knead until smooth.  Form into a ball, and flatten into a disc about 1 inch thick. 
• Bake on a baking sheet for 30-35 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.
• Take bannock out, and let cool before slicing. Serve as desired.