Sea Biscuits or Hard Bread

Ingredients

4 c whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons salt
Water (about 2 cups)

Directions

Small round cakes of whole wheat, 4 to the pound. This works out to about 6 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick. Take whole wheat flour and salt and mix it with heated water. Add water, a little at a time, until thick and well mixed. Knead it as making bread. Pound it out very well. Roll it flat to 1/2 inch and then using a 6 inch bowl, cut out the biscuits. Put them on an ungreased cookie sheet and poke holes in them. Place in an oven at 350ºF and bake until golden brown. Let them cool and dry for several days. Do not put them in an air tight container. If there is any moisture in the cakes they will mold. Make sure they are dry and they will last for years! They are good to eat plain. When cooking a stew or soup, break up some biscuits and add them to the pot.

Another way is like the Prussian Army did in c.1740. They boiled the biscuits in salted water until it was soft like a bread pudding. Add raisins or other dried fruit for taste!

You can also soak the biscuit overnight in broth or water. Then squeeze out excess moisture, break into bits and mix with meat, onions, herbs and an egg. Shape into patties and fry in butter. Use squeezed-out broth to make a gravy or use in soup.