Ingredients

2 cups Buttermilk

4 cups whole wheat flour (preferably stone ground)

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Method

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Make a well in the center and add most of the buttermilk.

Working out from the center, use your hands to make a dough.

Add more milk if necessary.

The dough should be soft but not too sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and pat lightly into a round.

Flatten slightly to about 2 inches thick and place on a baking sheet.

Cut a deep cross and bake in a preheated 450 degrees F oven for 15-20 minutes.

After the 15 to 20 minutes is up reduce the heat to 400 degrees F and bake for a further 20-25 minutes.

You will know when the bread is cooked if it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

If you want to make an even richer soda bread add 1 oz. fine oatmeal, 1 egg, and 1 oz. butter to the mixture.

That is all there is to it. Simply delicious.

This is another version.

1 tb Butter 1 ts Baking soda

4 c White flour 1 c Buttermilk or sweet milk

1 ts Salt

Rub the butter into the flour. Add the salt and soda, mix all

well together by running the dry ingredients through your fingers.

Add the buttermilk (or sweet milk) and stir into a soft dough with a wooden spoon.

With your floured hands, knead the dough lightly into a ball andturn out onto a lightly floured baking sheet.

Flatten the dough into a circle 1 1/2 inches thick with the palm of your hand.

Make a cross in the center with a floured knife.

Bake at 425 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

From The art of Irish cooking” by Monica Sheridan .