Southern Skillet Biscuit

Subject: Southern Skillet Biscuit Wed 30 Jan 2008, 6:45 pm

1 cup self-rising unbleached or all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons dry buttermilk powder or 3 tablespoons instant nonfat dry milk powder

3 tablespoons vegetable shortening or coconut oil

1/3 cup watershortening or oil for frying

Begin by combining the flour and milk powder in a medium bowl. Mix very well. Measure in the shortening. Use a fork to mash the fat into the dry ingredients. Continue mashing until the mixture is the texture of cornmeal, with a few chunks the size of peas. Stir in the water, forming a nice soft dough. Add a few drops of more water if need be (probably not). Knead the dough in the bowl about 10 times. Set the dough aside.
Rip off a sheet of waxed paper and find a small biscuit cutter or a clean tomato paste can with both ends removed. Place the dough on the paper and pat it out to about 1/4-inch thick or a little thicker. Better too thin than too thick so the biscuits will cook on the inside before they have a chance to burn on the outside. Cut the dough into small rounds. Re-roll and cut any trimmings.
Heat a heavy skillet or griddle over low heat. Oil it lightly. Lay in the biscuit rounds. If you have a 10-inch skillet, they should all fit. Bake slowly for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Watch that they don't burn. If they start to overcook, then turn down the heat and set the biscuits up on their sides to cook for a little while. These biscuits need lots of tending and a gentle heat but they turn out so good. Serve hot with any meal or for breakfast. I find this recipe feeds 5 to 6 people, depending on their love of biscuits. It's cheap and filling and tastes really good, so if you need to fill up those empty places in a hungry crew, this recipe does so admirably.

NOTE: If you only have regular flour then use 1-cup of it, plus 1/3-teaspoon salt and 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder to replace the self-rising flour. 1/3-teaspoon is a slightly rounded 1/4-teaspoon.
_________________
Gayla

"They take great pride in making their dinner cost much; I take my pride in making my dinner cost so little."

---Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)