This soft, moist quick bread gets its rise from self-raising flour and eggs instead of yeast. That means no kneading and no proofing. Just mix and bake.
With ham, green olives and cheese, its flavours are inspired by French cake salé or savoury cake. Perfect as a snack, as a nibble with drinks, alongside meats and cheeses, or soups and salad.
It's recommended that you read the accompanying blog post for extra tips and step-by-step images before starting the recipe. You will need a small loaf tin of 450ml/1lb capacity.
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160° Fan / Gas 4 / 350°F with a shelf positioned in the middle.
Butter a small, non-stick loaf tin (approx. 19 x 9 x 6 cm, capacity 450ml or 1 lb).
Sift the flour, salt and pepper into a mixing bowl.
Grate the butter into the flour mixture (dip the butter into the flour now and again to stop it sticking to the grater) then rub in with your fingertips.
Stir in the 125 grams of coarsely grated cheese, the diced or shredded ham, and the chopped or sliced olives. If the cheese or ham sticks together, rub the mixture between your fingers to separate them and ensure all are coated in flour.
Make a well in the centre of the mixture and tip in the beaten eggs.
Start stirring in the eggs while also adding enough of the milk to form a thick, cake-like batter: see image in accompanying blog post for how the batter should look.
Note: different flours absorb different amounts of liquid so you may not need all the milk or might need a splash more
Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin, pressing down lightly and smoothing the top. Sprinkle over the 25 grams of finely grated cheese.
Place the tin on a baking tray and put into the preheated oven.
Bake until risen, golden brown and firm: a skewer or cocktail stick inserted should come out clean when done. (50-55 min).
Recommended: check at 30-35 minutes that the top isn't browning too quickly. If it is already quite dark, cover loosely with a piece of foil.
When the loaf is done, leave a few minutes, then tip or lift out of the tin and place on a wire rack. Leave until cold or only just warm before slicing.
The loaf is best eaten with 2 - 3 days, buttered or not, but is fluffiest on the day of baking. After the first day, heating slices for a few seconds in the microwave will make the interior fluffy again. It's also very good toasted and buttered.
To store, wrap well in foil and keep in a tight-lidded container. Can also be frozen as a whole loaf or in slices.