Staffordshire Oatcakes with a Spicy Bean Filling

Try something different for Shrove Tuesday (or any day!) with our savoury pancake recipe.

Recipe and photography: Julie Thompson Information Manager and Specialist Gastroenterology Dietitian Guts UK

Staffordshire Oatcakes with a Spicy Bean Filling

This recipe is something a little different. These pancakes are milk and egg free and turned out surprisingly well! A version of these pancakes were used in many areas of the UK in the past, they’re cheap and quick recipe to make. Whilst the origins of Shrove Tuesday are a religious festival to use up eggs and milk before a period of fasting, many people now need a diet that is free of these foods due to food allergy, intolerances and cultural preferences. This recipe, whilst very mildly spiced is suitable for the Low FODMAP diet (the UK version of the diet allows kidney beans – used tinned and rinse well). The recipe is low calorie and has a great level of fibre.

Makes: 5 portions   •   Nutritional Breakdown per portion: 220 kcal, 10.2g protein, 9.2g fat, 42g carbohydrate, 11.5g fibre.

Ingredients:

  • 85g Oats (use uncontaminated oats for people with coeliac disease) 
  • 85g gluten free plain flour 
  • 1/2 teaspoon yeast 
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar 
  • A pinch of salt 
  • 350mls lukewarm water 
  • 250g tinned rinsed kidney beans 
  • 250g chard or spinach 
  • 1 teaspoon of Moroccan spice (check this is onion and garlic free) 
  • 50g pumpkin seeds 

How to make:

  1. Toast the oats for 5 minutes in a non-stick frying pan. 
  2. Add the oats to lukewarm water and mix with a hand blender for a few seconds, then add the salt. 
  3. Add the gluten-free flour sugar and yeast to the mix and leave to rise for 1 hour – or until you can see bubbles forming in the mix. The sugar is to feed the yeast and cannot be detected in the final mix. 
  4. Make pancakes with a small spray of oil and a hot pan. The amounts make approximately 5 pancakes. 
  5. Keep them warm. 
  6. Use another spray of oil in the pan and fry the dry spice mix. Then add rinsed kidney beans, chopped chard or spinach and pumpkin seeds and fry until cooked. 
  7. Add the beans mix to the pancake and serve. 
  8. Please note this recipe is not suitable for people who have been advised to have a low fibre or low residue diet.  

MORE INFORMATION: