Ingredients:

  • 450g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 400ml full-fat buttermilk

Instructions:

  1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Lift the whisk high to incorporate air and ensure no clumps of soda remain.
  2. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk. Using your hand like a claw or a dull knife, move in a circular motion from the center outward. Stop as soon as the dough clumps together into a shaggy, sticky mass.
  3. Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Gently tuck the edges under to form a round disc about 1.5 inches thick, taking care not to press out the air or overwork the gluten.
  4. Transfer the dough to a heavy-duty baking sheet or a preheated 5-quart Dutch oven. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut a deep cross, approximately 1 inch deep, across the entire loaf to ensure the center bakes through.
  5. Bake immediately in a high-heat oven until the exterior is dark brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.