Oatmeal Soda Bread Recipe Recipe

How to make it

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• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Place oats in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
• In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the finely ground oats, flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt.
• Stir the buttermilk and egg together. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk egg mixture.
• Gently fold the surrounding flour over the buttermilk with a wooden spoon. Continue to gently fold until just combined. Do not over mix!
• The dough should look very shaggy.
• It should be on the moist side. If it is too wet to handle, add a little more flour. If too dry, add a little more buttermilk.
• Place dough on a lightly flour dusted surface.
• Knead one or two times only, and form into a mound shape.
• Grease a large cast iron frying pan with a little butter and place the dough in the center. (If you don't have a cast iron frying pan, just put on a greased baking sheet that can take high heat.)
• Score the center of the dough in a cross shape with a sharp knife, making 1 1/2 inch deep cuts.
• Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 450°F (230 °C).
• Lower the oven temperature to 400°F (205°C) and cook for 25 minutes more.
• To test if the bread is done, take it out of the oven, turn it over and knock on the bottom. If it sounds hollow, it's done.
• Remove pan from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Note, take care with the hot handles of the cast iron pan! I never leave this one to chance (after having burned myself pretty badly once picking up a hot pan), and I rub an ice cube over the hot handle to cool it down, so that someone doesn't inadvertently pick up the pan by the handle.
• Remove bread from pan and let cool further on a wire rack for another 15 minutes or so.
• The bread is best if eaten within hours of baking.
• Serve with butter and jam. If saving for later, wrap in a slightly damp clean tea towel.