Perfect AGA Overnight Porridge
From having answered many AGA porridge enquiries over the year, here is the simple method to enjoy the legendary ambrosia. For authentic overnight AGA porridge you need to use oatmeal, not rolled oats, as in the type you would use to make flapjacks. If you have difficulty in obtaining them from a supermarket (they are stocked in most places these days), try a health food shop. Traditional recipes suggest using medium pinhead oatmeal. I prefer to use half medium and half fine ground. Both are much cheaper than rolled oats, incidentally. And better for you, as they are wholegrain.
It is important to use a cooking vessel that has a good lid, to ensure that no liquid can be driven off over the long slow cooking leaving a dried up residue. Any of the AGA stainless steel pans and lids may be used for this – if a cast aluminium AGA saucepan and lid is available, these are even better as they make washing up easier. If you are using a pan where you feel the lid isn’t as tight-fitting as you might like, place a piece of baking parchment over the pot before pressing down the lid to ensure a tight seal.
Last thing at night, or perhaps when making any bedtime drinks, bring one pint (600ml) of water to the boil in a heavy based pan with a pinch of salt, and whisk in 3oz (75g) of medium pinhead oatmeal. Simmer on the Simmering Plate for a couple of minutes, and then cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the floor of the coolest oven on your cooker.
4 and 5 Oven AGA: Place on a grid shelf on the floor of the Warming Oven overnight. If cooking for only a few hours place on the floor of the Simmering Oven.
2 and 3 Oven AGA: Place on a grid shelf (of you can use the AGA toaster instead) on the floor of the Simmering Oven.
Serve with a little more salt to taste or sweeten with golden or maple syrup and offer creamy milk at the table.
By Richard Maggs
AGA Cookery Doctor