Basic Soda Bread (farl)

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Yesterday we introduced the members of Recipe-a-Day to Soda Bread as
prepared in cake form. Today is the same recipe, but prepared as the
farl. This type of preparation is found more often in Northern  Ireland
and served as a part of a traditional Irish Breakfast, or  Ulster Fry
is you prefer.  Sift the dry ingredients together several times in a
large mixing  bowl to make sure the bicarbonate of soda is evenly
distributed.  Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and a
pour about  three-quarters of the buttermilk into the center and start
stirring.  Continue to mix until you achieve a dough that is raggy and
very  soft. Add more buttermilk sparingly is you need it, as local
conditions of humidity and temperature greatly impact the mixture.
Blend quickly, but not too energetically until the whole mass of  dough
has become a floury, raggy consistency. Turn the contents of  the bowl
out onto a lightly floured surface and start to knead the  bread.  Your
primary concern is speed in kneading. The chemical reaction of  the
bicarbonate of soda with the acidic buttermilk starts as soon as  they
meet. You need to get the Soda Bread into the oven while the  reactions
running high, so don't over knead. Spend about 30-seconds  kneading the
dough and shape the bread into a slightly domed circle  about 6 to
8-inches in diameter. Cut the circle of dough into four  equal sections
and try not to crush or compress the dough when you  make the cuts. A
clean slicing motion with a sharp knife is required.  To complete the
farl prepare your best cast iron griddle or fry pan  for cooking.
Pre-heat the pan over a medium-low setting. Dust a hot  griddle or
frying pan with a little flour, and place the farl or  farls gently on
the hot griddle. The cut edges should be 1/2 inch or  so apart to allow
for expansion during cooking. Grill or fry the  farls about 20-minutes
on each side until well toasted in color. The  farls will scorch
easily, so keep an eye on the heat and adjust  accordingly. The heat
source should be very low when the farls are  finished.  Posted to
dailyrecipe@recipe-a-day.com by The Cook & Kitchen Staff
<dailyrecipe-owner@recipe-a-day.com> on Mar 04, 1998

A Message from our Provider:

“Jesus: Eternal Combustion Protection”

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 27
Calories From Fat: 4
Total Fat: <1g
Cholesterol: 2.3mg
Sodium: 640.9mg
Potassium: 85.8mg
Carbohydrates: 3.8g
Fiber: 0g
Sugar: 3.8g
Protein: 1.9g