4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup raisins or cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups buttermilk No worries. You can put 5 tsp vinegar into your measuring cup. Add milk till it reaches 1 3/4 cup. Let it sit for 5 minutes - that’s buttermilk.
LET'S START:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl.
SECOND:
Work the butter into the flour, add raisins: Using your (clean) fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse meal, then add in the raisins or cranberries and nuts.
THIRD:
Make a well, mix in buttermilk, egg: Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add beaten egg and buttermilk to well and mix in with a wooden spoon until dough is too stiff to stir.
FORTH:
Lightly knead dough and shape into a round loaf: Dust your hands with flour and add some flour to the dough. Then gently knead dough in the bowl just long enough to form a rough ball. Often the dough is too sticky to work with, just add in a little more flour. Do not over-knead. This is the key.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a round loaf.
FIFTH:
Cut X: Transfer dough to a large, lightly buttered and floured cast-iron 9 inch skillet or a baking sheet.
Use a sharp knife to make a half inch deep X shape cut across your loaf.
BAKE IT!
Bake: Transfer to oven and bake at 425°F until bread is golden - about 35-45 minutes.
If you use a cast iron pan, it may take a little longer as it takes longer for the pan to heat up than a baking sheet.
Check for doneness by putting a skewer into the center. If it comes out clean, your bread is done.
If you use a cast iron pan be careful when you take the pan out. Pan is super hot!!
EAT IT.
Let it cool a few minutes: Remove pan or sheet from oven, let bread sit in the pan or on the sheet for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool.
