Soda Farls | Guest Recipes | Nigella's Recipes (2024)

My Granny Neill would mix together the humble ingredients for her farls with an old bone-handled knife. The soft dough was then turned out onto her floured wooden baking board, gently shaped into a flat round and cut into farls (the Ulster Scots word for quarters). She would hang her cast-iron griddle over the turf fire and brush it clean with a goose wing, before scattering flour onto the hot surface and baking the farls on each side until they had a scorched, dusty crust and a pillowy centre. Once baked, she would wrap them in an old (but clean) pillowcase to keep the farls soft, which filled her home with the aroma of comfort and warmth.

Granda Neill cut his into fingers, spread them with butter and dipped them into a soft-boiled goose egg. My favourite way to eat them is to open them up and fill them with fried eggs and bacon. They were also delicious with Granny's homemade strawberry jam and Cheddar from the breadman.

My Granny Neill would mix together the humble ingredients for her farls with an old bone-handled knife. The soft dough was then turned out onto her floured wooden baking board, gently shaped into a flat round and cut into farls (the Ulster Scots word for quarters). She would hang her cast-iron griddle over the turf fire and brush it clean with a goose wing, before scattering flour onto the hot surface and baking the farls on each side until they had a scorched, dusty crust and a pillowy centre. Once baked, she would wrap them in an old (but clean) pillowcase to keep the farls soft, which filled her home with the aroma of comfort and warmth.

Granda Neill cut his into fingers, spread them with butter and dipped them into a soft-boiled goose egg. My favourite way to eat them is to open them up and fill them with fried eggs and bacon. They were also delicious with Granny's homemade strawberry jam and Cheddar from the breadman.

As featured in

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  The Irish Bakery

1. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl. Pour in the buttermilk, gently mixing everything together with a spatula or a large round-edged table knife. Stir in 55ml/ scant ¼ cup water until you have a soft dough. The dough should be not too dry but not too sticky. Add 1-2 more tablespoons water if it feels dry.
2. Shape the dough into a ball and then gently roll it with a rolling pin into a 1-cm (½-inch) thick circle.
3. Sprinkle the dough with some extra flour and, using a large knife, cut the circle into quarters.
4. Heat a heavy-based griddle or frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat and when hot, place the farls on the pan (you can do this in batches if needed). Cook for 5-6 minutes on each side until lightly browned.
5. Stand the farls up on their sides and cook them for 1 minute per side, then wrap in a clean dish towel or cloth to keep warm until you're ready to eat.

1. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Pour in the buttermilk, gently mixing everything together with a spatula or a large round-edged table knife. Stir in 55ml/ scant ¼ cup water until you have a soft dough. The dough should be not too dry but not too sticky. Add 1-2 more tablespoons water if it feels dry.
2. Shape the dough into a ball and then gently roll it with a rolling pin into a 1-cm (½-inch) thick circle.
3. Sprinkle the dough with some extra flour and, using a large knife, cut the circle into quarters.
4. Heat a heavy-based griddle or frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat and when hot, place the farls on the pan (you can do this in batches if needed). Cook for 5-6 minutes on each side until lightly browned.
5. Stand the farls up on their sides and cook them for 1 minute per side, then wrap in a clean dish towel or cloth to keep warm until you're ready to eat.