Soda Bread

WHAT YOU NEED

(Makes 1 Loaf)

½ cup fresh medjool dates (roughly chopped)
½ cup pecan nuts or walnuts (roughly chopped)
4 cups nutty wheat flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
1 bottle buttermilk (500 ml)
butter or oil (for greasing the potjie)

WHAT TO DO

If they are not pitted yet, do so with the dates and then roughly chop them. Chop the pecan nuts. Put all the ingredients, except for the buttermilk, into a mixing bowl and mix well.
Now add the buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon until everything is evenly combined. Remember, not only is it unnecessary to knead the dough, it is better not to. So as soon as everything is properly mixed you are good to go.
Smear the inside of your no.10 flat-bottomed potjie generously with butter or oil.
Flop the dough into the prepared potjie. Sprinkle some extra flour onto the bread and use a sharp knife to cut a deep cross into the top of the dough. This is only for cosmetic purposes and makes no real contribution to the taste of the end product, but we all know good-looking food tastes better.
When you’re ready to braai, place the potjie on a stand over coals and also pack coals on top of the potjie lid, aiming for all-round mild to medium heat. Bake for an estimated 50 minutes, possibly 40 or possibly 1 hour, depending on the heat of your fire and coals. If there is a huge fire burning nearby, rotate the potjie every now and again so that all sides face to and away from the fire. When checking on the bread, carefully remove the lid so you don’t spill coals or ash onto the bread. Stick a knife into the bread – if it comes out clean the bread is done. Alternatively, stick your digital instant read thermometer into the bread and if it reads above 90 ℃ the bread is done.
Once done, remove from the fire, gently run a butter knife all around the inside of the potjie between the side crust of the bread and the inside of the potjie to loosen it. Tip out the bread onto a plank and flip it upright.
Let the bread rest a bit after all the excitement and then slice and serve with butter