Prep. Preheat oven to 400º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly dust with flour.
Mix. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the buttermilk until just combined.
Form the dough. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until not sticky and the dough is smooth - but no more than SEVEN times. Do not overwork the dough as this will release too much of the gas bubbles and cause the dough not to rise. Shape the dough into a circle and place it onto the prepared baking sheet. Cut a cross into the top of the dough.
Bake. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Test the bread for doneness by tapping the bottom of the loaf. It should have a hollow sound.
Cool. Place onto a wire rack to cool. If you would like a softer crust, wrap the bread in a dry tea towel as it cools.