Damper is a very basic bread that can be produced in a camp oven, on a barbecue or even in a frying pan. I've included it for two reasons; the first is that it produces a very acceptable substitute for bread at the last minute. The second is that it gives beginner cooks a feel for just how easy it is to dish up simple but tasty and nutritious food from the barest ingredients.
Keep this recipe handy and you need never be in a situation where there is no bread to go with the soup. You can even impress your (non-Aussie) guests by explaining to them that this is the bread that opened up the Outback. Well, a simpler version did anyway, but I don't think you would want to serve that.
Ingredients
420g (15oz) self-raising flour
1 tsp salt
1tbs melted butter
125ml (half a cup) milk
125ml (half a cup) water
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F
You can either quickly mix all the ingredients together in a food processor, which is what I do, or cut the liquid into the dry ingredients in a bowl using a knife. With the second method you will have to knead the dough a few times. To do that, press it into a flattish round, fold the far edge towards you, push it flat with your fists, give the dough a quarter turn and repeat.
Do this about a dozen times. Finally shape it into a round, lightly grease a baking tray and drop the dough on to it. Bake for 20 minutes or so. It's cooked if the base sounds hollow when tapped.
Allow to cool on a wire rack. You can serve this bread warm or cold, but it will not keep well overnight. Some bush campers fry up any leftovers in the bacon fat for breakfast and swear it's great for a hangover. Others use it for fish bait!
