Heritage Grain Recipes

We feel the flavor of fresh, locally grown porridge or whole grain breads cannot be matched, although we may be a bit biased in that regard! Moreover, whole grains can be a central part of a balanced, nutrient-rich diet, according to the American Heart Association, FDA, and other sources.

That said, we recognize that cooking and baking with whole grains does take some getting used to, and an understanding that they may not behave with quite the uniformity of more processed products. Therefore, we have put together some of our suggested recipes to help you have success cooking or baking with them. All the recipes on this page have been adapted and trialed successfully in our home kitchen. New Recipes will continue to be added here periodically.

Contents:

1. Whole Wheat Pie Crusts and Apple Pie
2. Whole Oat Groat Porridge
3. Rolled Oats
4. Oat Flour Ginger Cookies
5. The Ross Family's Whole Wheat Bread

1. Soft White Whole Wheat Pie Crusts, and Apple Pie

Crusts:

3 cups Medina Soft White Whole Wheat Flour, plus spare for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1/2 cup) unsalted butter (plus extra for filling)
1/2 to 5/8 cups water
extra flour for dusting roller

Filling:
6 large or 8 medium apples, preferably of mixed varieties
2 Tablespoons Butter
Up to ¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Specialty equipment:
pastry cutter
rolling pin
thin spatula or long knife.
Pie plate

In a medium mixing bowl, measure out 3 cups of soft white whole wheat flour, and blend in salt. Use a pastry cutter to cut butter into the dry ingredients, until butter is no larger than a small pea.. Sprinkle on water 1/8 cup at a time, mixing gently in with a fork. Enough water has been added when dough holds together when pressed.

     To form the bottom crust: place slightly less than half your dough on a floured board, and begin gently working it flat and out with a floured rolling pin. When of adequate size, use a spatula or long knife to free it from the work surface, fold it in half, and slide it onto your pie plate. Patch any holes with dough.

     Now is a good time to turn the oven on to 400F.
     Peel and slice your apples into the bottom crust, mounding well in the center (approximately 1-1/2” above rim of dish). Press down slices so that they settle. Add 4 small pats of butter atop the final level of apples, about 2 Tablespoons total. Sprinkle on sugar and cinnamon.
     For the top crust, reflour work surface and rolling pin, roll out remaining dough as before, flouring as needed to avoid sticking, and ensuring it is slightly wider than the final pie in all directions. As before, free from the surface, fold, and slide onto the pie. Press together around the edge.

     Trim the edges uniformly, slightly past the edge of the plate. Using your fingers, work out the edge of the crust and fold it back in a seam, then crimp between two fingers and thumb. IMPORTANT: Score at least 6 vent slits near the top, and punch holes around the pie using a fork.

     Bake at 400F for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 375F for an additional 25-30 minutes. Test for doneness using a butterknife inserted through the vent slits. Filling should be soft, and knife should come to rest firmly on bottom crust. If either are not done, return to oven for 5 more minutes and recheck.
     Best enjoyed with afternoon coffee and company.

2. Whole Oat Groat Porridge

Measure out 1cup of oat groats. Cover with Cold water, and stir to allow miscellaneous hulls to float. Skim off any chaff, and drain the oats.

Bring 2-1/2 or 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt to a boil, Stir in the oats, and return to a slow boil. Allow to boil with the lid on for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand with the lid on overnight

In the morning, reheat to a gentle boil and simmer about 5 minutes, or according to your preferences.

3. Rolled Oats

4. Oat Flour Christmas Ginger Cookies (Scandinavian Julpepparkakor)

Traditional at Yuletide; a thin, mildly crisp rolled cookie – perfect for dunking!

*makes about six dozen 2-1/2” to 3” cookies* Note: dough can be frozen to be baked in smaller batches, as desired – it should be thawed in refrigerator to a chilled state.

1 cup softened, unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 tablespoons grated orange peel
2 tablespoons molasses
4-1/2 cups oat flour, plus about a cup for rolling the dough out on.
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and the sugar together. Add the egg and beat thoroughly.       Stir in the orange peel and molasses.

In a separate, large bowl, combine the flour; baking soda; cinnamon; ginger; and cloves.

Stir dry ingredients into the creamed mixture until a dough forms. This may seem softer and stickier than most drop-cookie doughs. Add a little flour if it is unworkable, but chilling will help firm up the dough to the proper consistency (in the next steps).

On a lightly floured board, divide the ball of dough into fourths. Roll each fourth into a log about 1” or 1-1/4” in diameter and about 10”-12” long. Dust lightly with flour, wrap each log separately in waxed paper, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight – until thoroughly chilled.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease cookie sheets.

Working again on a floured board, with one roll at a time (to preserve the chill), slice off rounds about 3/8” thick, using a very sharp, thin-bladed knife. On the floured board, press each round with fingers, or roll out gently, until the dough is about 1/8” thick – it will seem quite thin – and about 2” in diameter, dusting lightly with flour as needed to prevent sticking.

Place on greased baking sheet, with about an inch space between cookies. Bake for 12 or 13 minutes at 375 degrees. The cookies will puff up and then flatten in the oven. Bake until dough is “set” but not quite browned. Remove from cookie sheet onto racks or brown paper bag. Allow to cool to “dunking crispness”.

5. The Ross Family’s Whole Wheat Bread

This is an adaptation of the bread our family has been baking for many years, now made with our farm-grown Turkey Red Wheat Flour. It’s a nutty, medium-crumb bread.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm (not hot) water
• 5 teaspoons (or 2 packets) active dry yeast
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1-½ teaspoons salt
• 2-½ Tablespoons butter, plus extra to grease pans
• 5 to 6 cups of Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour (about 1.5 pounds.)

Check the temperature of the water- it should be comfortably warm on the fingertip, not hot, or it will shock the yeast culture. Add it to a warmed bowl and stir in yeast.
In a small saucepan, combine milk, sugar, salt, and butter, stirring over low heat until the butter melts and sugar and salt dissolve. Allow to cool to comfortably warm, again to avoid shocking the yeast.
The yeast should by this time be dissolved and showing some signs of culture (of the slight bubbling and fragrance sort, Cabarets, symphonies, and the like are not what we’re looking for here :). Measure out 4 and a half cups of flour into a large mixing bowl, flour your hands, and slowly knead in the yeast mixture, then the milk mixture. As you knead, you can add flour to the dough a ½ cup at a time, until the dough comes cleanly away from the bowl, and is elastic. I’d suggest conserving a dash of flour to dust your work surface and loaf with later.
Set the dough in a large greased bowl, then turn it over so the top is greased as well. Cover and set in a warm place to rise for 30-40 minutes, until roughly doubled in size.

Once it has risen, form into a round loaf, set on a greased or floured baking sheet, and score the top lightly a few times. Re-cover and set to rise another 30 minutes (it may not double in size this time, that’s fine)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Remove cover (optionally: dust the top with flour) and put in the oven at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes, until the top begins to brown. Remove from the oven and baking sheet, set on a wire rack, allow to cool about 15 minutes, and enjoy!