Recipes

Pancetta, Fontina, Rosemary Black Pepper Soda Bread

This soda bread is a deeply aromatic, salty, and subtly sweet variation of the classic southern Italian yeast bread. Its rich, savory character is achieved through the incorporation of crispy, unsmoked pancetta, whose rendered fat permeates the crumb. Fresh rosemary adds an earthy, piney dimension, resulting in a complex flavor profile that is nutty, porky, herbal, and spicy.

Pancetta, Fontina, Rosemary Black Pepper Soda Bread
By Stephanie Banyas, Culinary Experience Manager
Yields: 1 loaf
Ingredients
Directions
  • 6 ounces finely diced pancetta
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 and 3/4 cups (420ml) buttermilk
  • 1 large egg 
  • 4 ¼ cups (531 g) all-purpose flour plus more for your hands and counter
  • 2 Tablespoons pure cane granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1.5 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary 
  • 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed*
  • 4 ounces fontina, cut into ½-inch dice

Place an oven thermometer directly on the deck of your pizza oven on the right-center side closest to the interior wall of the pizza oven.  Turn both burners to the second lowest setting and heat the oven until the temperature on the thermometer reads between 375-400 degrees F, this will take at least 45 minutes. 

Combine the pancetta and oil in a medium skillet over low heat and cook until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is lightly golden brown and crisp.  Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. 

Whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Set aside. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, pepper and rosemary together in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter  or your fingers until the butter is pea-sized crumbs. Stir in the raisins. Pour in the buttermilk/egg mixture. Gently mix the dough together until the dough is too stiff to stir. Pour crumbly dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured hands, work the dough into a ball as best you can, then knead for about 30 seconds or until all the flour is moistened. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour (but a moister dough is better for soda bread)

Using floured hands, shape the dough into an 8-inch round that is approximately 2 inches thick. Score the top deeply with a serrated knife before transferring the dough to a seasoned 10–12-inch cast iron skillet or griddle pan. Keep a 12x12-inch piece of foil nearby to cover the top if it starts to brown too quickly.

Bake until the bread is golden brown and center appears cooked through, about 25 minutes, turning the pan several times using heavy duty grill gloves and long tongs, to ensure even baking, Loosely tent the bread with aluminum foil if you notice heavy browning on top. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195°F (90°C).

Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes longer. Serve warm, at room temperature, or toasted with desired toppings/spreads.

Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.