Ingredients:
400g spelt flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
250ml water
Good glug olive oil (optional)
Good glug olive oil (optional)
Method:
1.
Since the baking powder – which contains the raising agents –
begins working as soon as it comes into contact with the water, it is essential
to have everything ready before mixing the dough. So, heat the oven to 220C,
425F, gas mark 7 and either grease your baking sheet or line it with baking
parchment.
2.
Place the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, add the baking powder and stir the dry ingredients to mix them evenly. When the oven
is hot, add the liquid and begin mixing with a palette knife or similar.
3.
Mix together into a soft dough, adding more flour or water as needed. Turn it
out onto a floured worktop, firmly mould it into a round flat loaf, about 3cm
thick and place it on your prepared baking sheet. (With practice you can get
the mixing and shaping done in less than two minutes.) To allow the heat of the
oven to reach the centre of the dough more easily, cut a deep cross into the
top of the loaf with a sharp knife.
4.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 25-30 minutes,
5.
The loaf is ready when it has a good colour underneath and a skewer comes out
clean. You may need to put it back in, upside down, for a few more minutes.
Place to cool on a wire rack and – for a softer crust – wrap the bread in a tea
cloth.
Variation:
Fruit soda bread:
At step
two, instead of the salt, add 2 dessertspoons of sugar, a mug (200g) of dried fruit and 2
teaspoons of mixed spice.
Soda bread focaccia with oatmeal and rosemary
Here's Penny, on one of my workshops, just adding olive oil to her rosemary focaccia (yeast-risen) |
Ingredients:
300g spelt flour
100g fine or
medium oatmeal
1/2 tsp salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
250ml water
3 tablespoons
olive oil
Plus:
Olive oil to
drizzle
Sprigs of fresh
rosemary - or 2 teaspoons of dried
Method:
1.
Pre-heat oven to 220C, 425F, gas mark 7 and prepare your baking sheet – either
grease it or line it with bakingparchment. (The baking sheet should have a lip
so that the olive oil won't spill everywhere!)
2.
Place the flour, oatmeal and salt into a large mixing bowl, add the baking powderand stir the dry ingredients to mix them evenly. When
the oven is hot, add the water and oil, and begin mixing with a palette knife
or similar.
3.
Mix together into a soft dough, adding more flour or water as needed. Turn it
out onto a floured worktop, mould it into a cob shape, roll it out into a large
circle, about 2cm thick and place it on your prepared baking sheet. (With
practice you can get the mixing and shaping done in less than two
minutes.)
4.
Press your fingertips into the dough, making large indentations. Press
sprigs of rosemary into the holes and drizzle oil all over the
dough. Or: Drizzle the oil and sprinkle the dried rosemary all over
Follow steps 4-5
in the above recipe.
I have printed both out, will give them a try. Oatmeal one look especially interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks
Mamta