By now you all probably know that I’m Italian. But I’ve never mentioned that I am, in fact, Irish too. A little.
My grandma Helen (of the famous cinnamon rolls) was an Irish girl through and through. But because she married an Italian man, most of the food I most associate with her is Italian. Or kind of Southern.
So this St. Patrick’s Day, I decided to channel my oft-forgotten Irish roots with some soda bread.
Now, if you’re like me, you’ve had some amazing Irish soda bread in your life, and you’ve probably had some not so amazing soda bread in your life.
It has to be kind of dense, a little chewy, not overloaded with raisins and not real sweet. You know what I mean.
I found the most perfect soda bread recipe over at Simply Recipes, and I will definitely be making this one again. It may not be my grandma’s recipe (I don’t know where it is or if she ever wrote one down in the first place) but it tastes homey and comforting.
Oh and east! This is one of the easiest bread recipes I’ve ever made.
You will need
- 4 cups flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 425 and lightly grease a cookie sheet.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.
Slice the butter and add it to the dry ingredients, working it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter until it forms a coarse meal.
Make a well in the center and add the egg and the buttermilk.
Using a wooden spoon, gently combine the ingredients and add the raisins.
Lightly flour your hands and gently knead the dough. This isn’t a dough you want to go at. You want to just bring it together loosely.
When it forms a loose ball, turn it out on the cookie sheet and form it into a loaf.
Bake at 425 for about 30-40 minutes.
The top will be golden brown and a knife will come out clean when inserted in the center.
Put on the tea. Or grab a Guinness.
Slice up the bread. Slather with butter.
And kiss me! I’m Irish!