I admit I didn’t know soda bread until the other day when I prepared this recipe. I was immediately attracted by the fact it doesn’t contain any yeast and grows and looks like a “common” bread.
It is extremely easy to prepare, no bread or kneading machine needed. It is also soon baked, ready to be eaten.
I found this soda bread recipe in Cristina’s post and I tried it immediately. What I liked most is that it is a versatile bread. We ate it with dinner and also for breakfast. Then I ate the little leftover during my coffee pause ;-).
Here in Italy it is not common to find buttermilk, and so I did as most Italians do: prepared it by myself.
The Italian recipe for buttermilk is: equal parts of low fat yogurt and milk plus a Tsp of lemon juice. Just stir and let rest for 10minutes.
- 2 cups + 1 Tbsp of whole wheat flour
- 2 cups+ 1 Tbsp of all purpose flour
- 1 Tsp of baking soda
- 1 Tsp of salt
- 1 cup minus 1 Tbsp of low fat yogurt
- 1 cup minus 1 Tbsp of milk
- 1 Tsp of lemon juice
- Mix the yogurt, the milk and the lemon juice and let it rest 10 minutes.
- Mix the flours in a bowl together with the baking soda and salt.
- Add the buttermilk (yogurt mixture) and mix well using a wood spoon or your hands.
- (You should get a sticky dough).
- Flour abundantly a working surface and just bend and roll it over without kneading for about a minute.
- Using your hands form a ball and put it on a baking tray covered with parchment paper.
- Add abundant flour on its surface and, with a sharp knife, make two deep cuts forming a "+".
- Do not separate the parts as they're will re-unify during baking.
- Let it rest for half an hour.
- Pre heat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
- Bake it for about 40 minutes. It is done when knocking on its bottom you hear a dumb noise.
- Buon appetito!
