St. Patrick鈥檚 Day recipe: Irish soda bread
In Ireland, soda bread is not necessarily for special occasions. It鈥檚 basic, everyday鈥� bread, usually whole wheat, baked without sugar or flavorful accoutrement, and 鈥╡aten with soup, gravy, or butter. It鈥檚 easy and quick to make: There鈥檚 no strenuous鈥� kneading or time consuming yeast fueled rising involved.
Instead, this bread rises on 鈥╥mpact when baking soda reacts to acidic buttermilk. Back in the early 19th century,鈥� when many Irish families did not have an oven, it could be baked in a large covered 鈥╟ast iron pot.鈥ㄢ�� But of course here in America we stray slightly from authentic. For the St. Patrick鈥檚 鈥―ay holiday, I see no harm in a jazzed up soda bread, with a couple tablespoons of 鈥╯ugar and dried currants thrown in the batter.鈥ㄢ��
A few tips:鈥�
1) Handle the dough with care 鈥� the longer it鈥檚 mixed, the tougher the end product 鈥╳ill be.
2) The dough might be very sticky. If it鈥檚 too gooey to shape, add extra flour 鈥�(I had to do this). Add more buttermilk if it鈥檚 not moist.
3) Don鈥檛 forget to cut two 鈥╬erpendicular slices on top of the dough before baking. I always thought this was 鈥╢or aesthetic reasons. It looks pretty, and makes the loaf easier to slice later. But鈥� superstitious Irishmen say the cross shape keeps the devilish fairies out. Food鈥� scientists suggest it鈥檚 to help heat penetrate the dough evenly.鈥ㄢ��
Irish soda bread
Serves 8
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour鈥�
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar鈥�
1 teaspoon baking powder鈥�
1/2 teaspoon baking soda鈥�
1/2 teaspoon salt鈥�
1 cup buttermilk鈥�
1 egg, beaten
鈥�2 tablespoons canola oil鈥�
1/2 currants (or raisins, if preferred)鈥ㄢ��
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease baking sheet with butter or oil, or line with 鈥╬archment paper.
In a medium bowl, mix buttermilk, egg, and oil. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking 鈥╬owder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour鈥� mixture, then pour in wet ingredients. Add currants. Carefully blend together all鈥╳ith a wooden spoon, until dough is soft and moist.鈥ㄢ��
With liberally floured hands, knead dough into a round shape. Place on pan, and鈥� cut two deep cross-shaped slices across top. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden 鈥╞rown. Serve warm, with a bit of butter.
Nora Dunne is a Monitor contributor.
