Irish Soda Farls

Right, three ingredients and a hot pan. That’s all a proper soda farl wants. Flour, baking soda, and buttermilk come together into a soft, shaggy dough in under a minute, get patted into a flat round, and cut into quarters (the ‘farls') before hitting a preheated griddle.

The chemistry is simple. Buttermilk’s lactic acid reacts with baking soda to create the lift, no yeast, no proofing, no waiting. What you want is a dough that just barely holds together. Overwork it and the farls toughen up into hockey pucks.

Griddle heat matters as much as the dough. Medium-low gives the bread time to cook through without scorching the crust. Six to eight minutes a side, flipped once, until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.

Split warm, slather with salty butter, and pile on fried eggs, sausages, bacon, black pudding, and grilled tomatoes for a proper Ulster fry.

Kitchen Tips

• Work the dough as little as possible. Mix, knead briefly, shape. The longer you handle it, the tougher the crumb.
• Use real cultured buttermilk, not milk with a splash of vinegar. The texture and tang are different.
• Dust the pan with flour before the farls hit. It prevents sticking and gives the bottom crust that distinct floury finish farls are known for.
• Don’t flip until the first side is properly golden. Early flipping tears the dough and disrupts the rise.

Variations

• Swap half the white flour for whole wheat or wholemeal for a nuttier, denser farl.
• Add a teaspoon of caraway seeds for a bit of rye-bread character.
• Stir in a handful of grated sharp cheddar and chopped scallions for a savory twist.