Rosemary and Browned Butter Soda Bread

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup oats (I just used regular old Quaker Oats)
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 egg white, beaten

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375. Line a cookie sheet with parchment.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the solids begin to brown, approximately 2-3 minutes. When lightly browned, remove the butter from heat and set aside.
• Stir all dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add buttermilk and butter and stir to combine.
• When all of the flour is incorporated, turn the dough onto a floured work surface. Knead exactly 7 times, just until the dough comes together. Do not overwork the dough or the bread will be tough. It will be a wet, sticky dough, kind of like drop biscuits.
• Divide dough in half and form into balls. Flatten the circles into about 6-inch circles. With a knife, cut an "x" into each circle of dough. Brush each loaf with the beaten egg white and grind a bit of pepper on top.
• Place the dough onto the lined cookie sheets. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the breads are golden brown.
• Best eaten warm but they keep well too.