Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread (original recipe)
From The New Cookbook for Poor Poets (and others) by Ann Rogers.

4 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup sugar
1 T caraway seeds
1 cup raisins
2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
3/4 cup flour

Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl, when mixed turn onto a floured board using the 3/4 cup of flour. Work in flour by kneading until it isn’t sticky and form into 1 large or 2 small round ball or 2 small.   Knead about 10 times. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Slash an X on top of bread and bake in 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes.

Jamie’s Notes: I use whole raw milk instead of buttermilk, use a spatula to fold the wet dough over itself sprinkled with the flour until it isn’t too sticky while kneading. I sprinkle the cookie sheet with cornmeal and sesame seeds and place the dough on it. Sometimes I use dried cranberries instead of raisins, or omit the caraway and raisins and make a plain bread, then brush the outside with milk and pat sesame seeds all over it. Works well with a cup of pastry or whole wheat flour too.