I was sent a copy of a new magazine, Baked and Delicious, to review. You may have seen it advertised or at the newsagency - you can subscibe to it and each issue comes with a piece of silicone bakeware to use with the recipes in the magazine. My copy came with a loaf tin, so naturally I had to make a loaf.
I've never baked a savoury loaf before, but the flavours in this one sounded so good - olives, peppers, parmesan. Visions of a fragrant loaf cooling on the window sill while bluebirds of happiness fluttered around. I am there, baby!
Like most of the recipes in the magazine, this one is simple to make and the instructions are very easy to understand, with step-by-step photos. The results speak for themselves, as this bread/loaf was also very easy to eat, especially when it was still fresh and warm. The small bit that was left was wrapped in foil and I finished it off the next day after heating it in the toaster oven and slathering it in butter (so much butter!). A cool magazine, a successful recipe, a scrumptious loaf. Couldn't ask for anything more....
Olive, Herb and Parmesan Bread
serves 8
Ingredients
75g (3oz) stuffed olives, sliced
75g (3oz) pimentos (bottled red peppers), sliced
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tblsp chives, finely chopped
125g (4oz) parmesan, grated
350g (12oz) plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp each salt and black pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard or curry powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
300ml (1/2 pint) buttermilk
2 tblsp olive oil
sea salt flakes
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line a 900g (2lb) loaf pan with baking paper (you don't need to do this if using a silicon pan).
2. Place the olives, pimentos, thyme, chives and parmesan into a large mixing bowl.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, pepper and mustard/curry powder into the bowl with the olives.
4. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl with the buttermilk and olive oil.
5. Mix the olives and pimentos into the flour mixture. Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk mixture and stir until you get a thick, sticky batter.
6. Use a spatula to scrape the mixture into the prepared loaf pan.
7. Smooth the top of the loaf and decorate with extra slices of pimento. Scatter with flakes of sea salt. Bake the loaf in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the top is risen and golden, and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
8. Cool the loaf in the pan for at elast 10 minutes and then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling. Slice and serve.
