JP Food: Rosemary Irish soda bread

After many overindulgences over the Christmas holidays, most people try to kick start the new year with better and healthier eating habits and new year resolutions.

If one of them is to eat healthier or even to bake more bread, then this simple home-made bread recipe fits the bill perfectly.

It is simply a bit of measuring and mixing, popping into the oven and you have a delicious, good for you loaf of bread which is so much better for you than processed shop bought bread.

Perfect for sandwiches or serving with home made soups, this no yeast bread is the perfect supplement to help kick start healthier eating habits.

This loaf goes a long way and will keep an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Plus, it fills your home with the most inviting and delicious aroma as it bakes!

Ingredients: (makes one large loaf)

450g wholemeal flour

200g plain flour

1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh rosemary.

2 teaspoons of bicarb

500ml of buttermilk

For the topping:

25ml of buttermilk

1 teaspoon of sea salt

1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh rosemary.

Method:

1.  Preheat your oven to 200 degrees / 400f / gas mark 6.
2.  Sift the plain flour, bicarb into a large mixing bowl, add the chopped rosemary, wholemeal flour and mix well to combine. Make a well in the centre and slowly pour the buttermilk into the well with the dry ingredients.
3.  Make sure there are no dry patches, and everything is well combined.
4.  Flour a baking sheet and dust your hands with flour. Pop the bread mixture onto the prepared tray and mould into a round loaf shape.
5. Flour a large knife and cut a cross on the top of the loaf cutting about ¾ of the way through. Brush the loaf with buttermilk, scatter with the sea salt and finely chopped rosemary then pop into the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180 /350f/ gas mark 4 and bake for a further 25 minutes.
6.  To check the loaf is cooked; tap the underneath and it should sound hollow. Leave to cool completely before slicing.

The smell of this bread baking fills your home with warmth and love and what I love about this recipe is there is no kneading, resting involved.

Measure, mix, shape and bake, it is that simple.

Delicious for lunchtime sandwiches, served with soups or on its own with real Irish butter is just sublime.