Soda bread is one of the easiest and quickest breads to make, and when using whole meal spelt and rye flour makes a light and moist loaf. This recipe is for the basic loaf but feel free to add little extras to it, caraway, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, nuts, sun dried tomatoes…..

For the liquid I like to use the water from feta or mozzarella which I save as I use the cheese by freezing it. You can use milk too. Vegans will want to use either water or vegetable stock.

Just in case you think I’ve forgotten to mention salt, I haven’t, adding it seems to inhibit the rising of the loaf plus the bicarbonate of soda adds a certain saltiness.

125 grams whole meal spelt flour

125 grams whole meal rye flour

1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

2 teaspoons lemon juice

180 ml liquid – either vegetable stock, chicken stock or liquid from either mozzarella or feta cheese, or milk

Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Make a well in the centre.

Add the lemon juice to the measured liquid that you are using and stir to mix in. Pour into the well in the flour.

Using either a dough hook on a mixer or a spoon, mix to a fairly wet dough. It will be quite sticky.

Sprinkle on a little more flour to enable you to lightly form the dough into a ball.

Put onto a tray lined with baking parchment and make a cross into the ball using the side of your hand.

Bake in an oven preheated to 160C fan, 180C, 350F or gas mark 4 for 40 minutes until golden.

Cool on a rack and enjoy!