Yvette Farrell, owner of Harts Barn Cookery School, has created her own iconic Forest of Dean signature dish – the âForest Flatbreadâ. This artisan treat has the potential to become a definitive local food. So, what is it? Well, the flatbreads come in a range of flavours, and Yvette has used high quality local ingredients so theyâre darned delicious!
The snowlâŠ
The Forest Flatbreads have been inspired by traditional Forest of Dean minersâ food â the snowl. The miners took hollowed out loaves of bread down the mines which were stuffed full of lunch, rather like a Cornish pasty. Yvette loves history and wanted to create a local dish that had authenticity and historical ties to the area. However, selling hollowed out loaves of bread stuffed full of meat and veg isnât really practical for all kinds of reasons (chiefly the bread going soggy), so Yvette took the idea and ran with flatbreads as a nod to this traditional Forest of Dean fare. (You can read more about snowls in Winifred Foleyâs autobiographical work, A Child in the Forest)
The lowdown on Forest FlatbreadsâŠ
The Forest Flatbreads are a bit like naan bread. They are simple, but delicious, and stuffed with exciting fillings â so, theyâre rather similar to keema or Peshwari naans.
Yvetteâs love of fresh and local ingredients has fed into her recipes and sheâs created four varieties so far. However, we could only give an unbiased and comprehensive review by trying all four of them for ourselves. I personally sampled each flavour and even gave some to family members for a second and third opinion.
Low gluten flour
Now, Iâm not a particularly âbreadyâ person. Wheat tends to make me extremely tired and irritable. Unfortunately, many delicious things contain wheat. Frankly, lifeâs too short to avoid it all the time, or to always choose the gluten free option. Anyway, there arenât any gluten free flatbreads (although you never know what Yvette might be planning â so watch this space).
I was pleasantly surprised when I didnât get that nasty âwheatyâ feeling after eating the flatbreads. This feedback was passed on to Yvette who confirmed that she does, in fact, use low-gluten flour. So, thatâs great to know if you donât get on well with wheat or gluten â which many of us donât.
The actual bread part
Given the fact that the bread only contains plain flour, yeast, salt water, itâs absolutely amazing and has a wonderful texture. This is what bread is meant to taste like, without preservatives and other hidden nasties!
The whole family agreed that they would make a great alternative to a sandwich in a packed lunch and that at ÂŁ3.00 for two, they are good value for money, being of a high quality as well as being an extremely tasty snack. In fact, they wouldnât be out of place in Waitrose (and they may possibly be gracing its shelves)! Given the choice between one of Yvetteâs Forest Flatbreads and a shop bought pre-packed sarnie, itâs a no brainer. Pre-packed sarnies can sometimes fall under the category of âdirty foodâ and can also be disappointing, with skimpy filling, dubious mayonnaise and sweaty cheese.
Itâs also worth mentioning that you can put the flatbreads in the toaster (you can even freeze them and then defrost them in this way), almost like a posh, artisan pop tart! I had a bite of each when they were cold and then popped mine in the toaster. Warming or heating foods often brings out the flavours and textures – think of cheese left out of the fridge so it hits room temperature, or reheating a chilli to bring out a deeper, spicier flavour.
Heritage Pork & Cider
Ingredients: Flatbread dough (plain flour, yeast, salt water) heritage pork mince, apple, cider, sage, mixed herbs, salt & pepper, seasoned butter (butter, salt, pepper, garlic, mixed herbs).
I could taste the cider in this and the minced pork was very tasty. It was delicious toasted and made me think of an upmarket and lighter version of a pork and apple roll.
This wasnât my favourite, but it was perfectly palatable. In all honesty, I donât get very excited about pork, but if you do, youâre bound to love it. However, itâs not just any old pork; itâs pork from heritage breeds, and comes from local pigs that have been reared with high animal welfare standards.
Wild Boar & Red Wine
Ingredients: Flatbread dough (plain flour, yeast, salt water) wild boar mince, onion, garlic, red currant jelly (sugar, redcurrants), red wine, bay, thyme, salt & pepper, seasoned butter (butter, salt, pepper, garlic, mixed herbs).
This was a big hit and we all agreed that we loved the âherbinessâ. Wild boar is such a rich and gamey meat, which makes it a natural companion for strong, deep flavours such as red wine. You can taste the bay leaves and thyme, which perfectly compliment the boar and red wine.
Now, I am crazy about game, so this got an instant thumbs up from me, and it also went down extremely well with the family.
Wild boar really deserves to be higher on our list of local foods and I think we should really turn the swine into an attraction for people who live outside of the area. How about a wild boar and game festival?
Double Gloucester & Chutney
Ingredients: Flatbread dough (plain flour, yeast, salt water), Double Gloucester cheese, Orchard Chutney (apples, pears, onions, garlic, raisins, cider vinegar, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, salt, dark brown sugar).
This was my personal favourite and the family loved it too. Itâs definitely one to pop in the toaster! This melts the cheese which, in turn, gives the bread a lovely fatty quality.
This really is local food at its best. You have the Double Gloucester cheese and the Orchard Chutney, which brings to mind our local orchards that line the banks of the Severn.
You can really taste the chutney – which is absolutely gorgeous. Itâs not your run of the mill stuff. Itâs extra special and bursting with flavour, thanks to the cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, cinnamon and turmeric.
Cheese and chutney is a classic combination that weâre all familiar with. In fact, itâs such a classic that it can sometimes pale into insignificance next to more exotic combinations. Nevertheless, this variety of flatbread is far from ordinary!
Venison & Bramble
Ingredients: Flatbread dough (plain flour, yeast, salt water), venison mince, onion, garlic, bramble sirop, red wine, vinegar, thyme, mace, ground juniper, salt & pepper, seasoned butter (butter, salt, pepper, garlic, mixed herbs).
Venison and bramble are definitely flavours of the forest. I go wild for venison and I love blackberries. So, I thoroughly enjoyed these flatbreads (as did the family). The juniper and red wine added some extra savoury âoomphâ to the mix. However, if I was to level one criticism at this variety, it would be that Iâd like to taste a little more of the bramble sirop coming through. However, the sweet and savoury thing isnât to everyoneâs taste.
Vegan Forest Flatbread coming soonâŠ
Vegetarians can enjoy the scrumptious Double Gloucester & chutney flavour flatbread, but if youâre vegan and wondering âWhat about me?â â fear not! Yvette is working on a vegan masterpiece, and if itâs anything like the rest, we wonât be disappointed!