Aunty Lee Simpson & Dane Simpson
Proud Kamilaroi man Dane Simpson and his First Nations mother, Aunty Lee Simpson, prepared a batch of moreish Fried Scones – a recipe whose origins are unknown, says Dane, but “Australian adapted and passed on through generations”.
What is your earliest memory of eating this dish?
I remember eating these when I was young. We would visit family in Walgett and the whole family would get together and share a meal. These bring back so many great memories!
How did you learn to cook it?
It’s an heirloom recipe – I remember my Mum and Aunties making these while I was growing up. It’s an easy and quick recipe, an everyday meal for any time of the day.
Do you have any tips for using leftovers creatively?
There are never any left!
Did you know?
A recipe for Puftaloons appeared in the 1926 edition of the Commonsense Cookbook, which recommended it be served “on a d’oyley on a hot plate”. It’s considered a very old-fashioned Australian food, a bit like a swagman’s griddle cake – and just as satisfying!
Fried Scones Recipe
Serves approximately 12, great for sharing
Ingredients for scones
- 3 cups self-raising flour
- 1½ cups of water
- 1 tsp salt
- Extra flour for kneading
- Vegetable oil for shallow frying
Suggestions for toppings
Whipped cream, jam, butter, syrup, honey and strawberries
Instructions for scones
- Wash hands thoroughly.
- Sift flour into a large mixing bowl.
- Make a well in the centre of flour mixture.
- Add half of the water into the well and lightly mix. Add remaining water. Mixture will bind and be sticky.
- Flour kneading board and scrape mixture onto floured board.
- Lightly sprinkle top of mixture with flour, to prevent sticking to hands.
- Knead lightly – only until mixture comes together.
- Pat mixture out until about 1cm thick. Cut mixture with a floured knife into strips approximately 5cm wide.
- Then cut across strips forming rectangles approximately 7cm long.
- Don’t worry about some shapes having rounded edges or if the shapes are different sizes.
- Heat 1 cm of oil in frying pan for shallow frying.
- When the oil is hot, use a tablespoon to drop dollops of the scone mixture into the oil.
- Fry until golden on both sides.
- Remove and place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
- Gather and prepare desired toppings.
Tip: gather your toppings and accompaniments ahead of time so that the scones can be eaten hot and straight from the pan.
Variations on this recipe:
Fried scones can be made sweet for dessert or breakfast, or savoury to be used as a “dumpling” in a curry or casserole. It can also be served as an alternative to potatoes.
Bake the scones instead of frying for a healthier alternative. If baking instead of frying, add only enough milk to make a soft, kneadable dough rather than a sticky, runny consistency. Cut the dough into circles 2 cm thick, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes on a greased baking try at about 200˚C.
Water can be used instead of milk, and sugar can be used instead of salt for a sweeter version.
