Soda Bread

Going to flip back for a moment and bring you another recipe using buttermilk.  My friend Julie asked if I had a good soda bread recipe and since I didn't I did a little checking around.  I looked at 6 or 7 recipes before compiling a "best of" list of ingredients and I think the resulting product is pretty good.

If you're not familiar with it, soda bread is a poor man's bread.  The introduction of baking soda as a leavening agent in the late 1800s made it possible for those without ovens to "bake" bread.  Baking soda replaced yeast in the dough mix and then the dough could be cooked in a covered pot over an open flame. 

It's not a fine bread, usally pretty crumbly, but goes well with stews and soups.  I found that mine was easier to slice and after I let it cool down a bit versus cutting into it as soon as it came out of the oven.  Of course that didn't stop me from slathering it with butter and eating a good chuck of the loaf before I got a photo of the inside.  Yeah, I'd say it turned out okay.

Soda Bread

4 cups flour (plus some for kneading)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup milk
4 tbsp butter, softened
1 egg, lightly beaten

In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients.  Add in buttermilk, milk, butter and egg.  Mix until it starts to pull together as a dough.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knead.  Add flour as needed to form a soft, non-sticky dough.

Separate dough into two rounds and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  With a paring knife, cut an X into the top of each.  Allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle tops with flours and then bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Serve with butter and your favorite soupy meal.