Recipe and styling by Sarah Dall
Photography by Myburgh du Plessis
Spinach and basil soda bread
Ingredients
- 200g baby spinach
- 170g self-raising flour
- 170g (1 cup) cake flour + extra, to dust
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 250ml (1 cup) buttermilk
- 60g fresh basil pesto
- soft butter, to spread
Instructions
Heat a frying pan over high heat. Add the spinach with a small splash of water. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
When cool, squeeze out any excess water from the spinach and pat dry with paper towel. Chop finely and set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the centre and add the buttermilk, basil pesto and spinach. With your hands, mix together until just combined and the dough forms a ball.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 5 Lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough for a minute. Place the dough onto the lined baking tray, cut a cross on top and bake in the preheated oven until the bread makes a hollow sound when tapped, about 30 minutes.
After removing the bread from the oven and while it is still hot, spread a little butter over the top and sides of the loaf to melt and soak in. Allow to cool slightly before slicing.
Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine. www.imkawebb.com
