Name: Pesto soda bread
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: Makes 1 loaf serving
Cuisine: Baking
Ingredients: for the bread:; 3 cup flour cake; 5 ml salt; 5 ml bicarbonate of soda; 375 ml buttermilk; 45 ml basil pesto; 500 ml cocktail tomatoes halved; 240 g balls buffalo mozzarella diced; 20 ml fresh chillies 573; 20 ml vinegar balsamic; 60 ml basil leaves torn; crème fraîche to serve

Recipe Disclaimer

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Ingredients (12)

	for the bread:
3 cup	flour — cake
5 ml	salt
5 ml	bicarbonate of soda
375 ml	buttermilk
45 ml	basil pesto

For the salsa:

500 ml	cocktail tomatoes — halved
240 g	balls buffalo mozzarella — diced
20 ml	fresh chillies — 573
20 ml	vinegar — balsamic
60 ml	basil leaves — torn
	crème fraîche — to serve

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Method:

For the bread, preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Combine the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk the buttermilk and pesto together.

Combine the two mixtures and use a palette knife or butter knife to cut the wet mixture into the dry mixture until a dough is formed.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and form it into a ball.

Place it on the lined tray and flatten the top slightly with the palm of your hand.

Cut a deep cross over the top of the dough but do not cut all the way through to the base of the dough.

Sprinkle it with some flour and bake, 30-35 mins until the top is golden and the base sounds hollow when tapped on.

Allow it to cool on the tray for 5 mins before transferring to a cooling rack.

For the salsa, stir everything together and season it to taste.

Serve the bread with dollops of crème fraiche, more pesto and topped with the salsa.

TIP: Replace the basil pesto with your preferred pesto flavour such as sundried tomato or rocket for a different flavoured bread.

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Wholemeal Irish soda bread

With walnuts and oats and served with ruby-red Muscadel grape preserve. A yeast-free bread, with no proving so it’s quick and easy to make.