Brown soda bread with herbs
(Recipe by Jesse Ziff Cool 'P04)
2 cups stone ground whole wheat flour
2 cups pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill or basil
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
Preparation:
* Mix the whole wheat flour thoroughly with the white flour, salt, and baking soda.
* Make a well in the center and gradually mix in the liquid. Stir with a wooden spoon. You may need less, or more liquid -- it depends on the absorbent quality of the flour.
* The dough should be soft but manageable. Knead the dough into a ball in the mixing bowl with your floured hands.
* Put on a lightly floured baking sheet and with the palm of your hand flatten out in a circle 1 1/2 inches thick.
* With a knife dipped in flour, make a cross through the center of the bread so that it will easily break into quarters when it is baked.
* Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes,
* Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake a further 15 minutes.
* If the crust seems too hard, wrap the baked bread in a damp tea cloth. Leave the loaf standing upright until it is cool.
* The bread should not be cut until it has set -- about 6 hours after it comes out of the oven.
Makes one large or two small loaves
