Irish Country Kitchen - Recipes: Bread (2 of 4)

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BREAD

In former years the Irish housewife made fresh soda bread every day. Some of the oats, barley and wheat harvested during August and September were stored in the loft. They were spread out on the loft floor, and every month bags were filled with grain and brought to the mill where they were finely ground to be used in breads – oatenmeal, wheatenmeal and bran.

OATEN BREAD

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30–35 minutes
Oven position: top
Oven temperature: gas 6, 200°C, 400°F
Ingredients: 6oz oatmeal 175g 1 cup
10 fl oz buttermilk 275ml 11/4 cups
10oz plain flour 275g 21/2 cups
1 level teaspoon salt
1 level teaspoon breadsoda
Method: Steep oatmeal in buttermilk for 5 minutes. Sieve flour and salt into a bowl. Put baking soda into palm of hand and work with the back of spoon to get rid of lumps. Add to the sieved flour and salt. Add in the soaked oatmeal. Mix well together. Knead until smooth. Roll out, place on lightly floured baking sheet, and bake for 30–35 minutes until bread sounds hollow when tapped on bottom. Cool on a wire tray.

SODA BREAD

Fresh country buttermilk, which makes beautiful soda bread, is hard to come by today; most farmers send their milk direct to the creamery. But my mother still churns the cream twice a week, and from the buttermilk makes at least three large loaves of bread every day. She makes brown soda during the week and white soda bread for Sunday. The buttermilk ordinarily used in making soda bread gave the crust a rich golden brown colour. But all the ingredients in soda bread were nutritious – and fresh. Our grandparents set the bread to cook in a big heavy pan, covered with a lid, over a log fire. When it was baked they put it on a windowsill to cool.

Ingredients:
1lb flour 500g 4 cups
pinch of salt
1 level teaspoon breadsoda
10 fl oz buttermilk or sour milk 275ml 11/4 cups
Method: Sieve the flour and salt into a large bowl. Put the breadsoda into the palm of the hand and work with the back of a spoon to get rid of lumps. Add to the sieved flour and salt. Make and bake as for Speedy Bread.

BROWN SODA BREAD

Ingredients:
10oz plain flour 275g 21/2 cups
pinch of salt
6oz wholemeal flour 175g 1 cup
1 level teaspoon breadsoda
10 fl oz buttermilk or sour milk 275ml 11/4 cups

Method: Sieve flour and salt into a bowl, add the wholemeal flour and bread soda. Make and bake as for Speedy Bread.

GRIDDLE BREAD

Griddle bread has been going strong in Ireland for centuries. A little effort produces a hot cake which makes splendid eating when spread thick with butter and smothered with honey or jam.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients: 8oz flour 225g 2 cups
pinch of salt
1 level teaspoon baking powder
1oz sugar 25g 11/2 level tablespoons
1oz melted butter 25g 11/2 level tablespoons
5 fl oz pint milk 150ml 3/4 cup
1 beaten egg

Method: Grease lightly a heavy iron pan. Sieve the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl; add in the sugar. Add butter, milk and egg to the dry ingredients and mix well together. Heat the greased pan and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, on each side over a moderate heat. Divide into 4 to 8 triangular shapes and serve hot with plenty of butter and jam or honey.

From the Appletree Press title: An Irish Country Kitchen by Mary Kinsella.
The recipes for Bread continue here

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