Provencal Olive, Cheese and Tomato Loaf
on Friday, 30 August 2019.
Posted in French Friday, Provence
In France, the pain aux olives is a very popular savoury loaf which, cut into cubes or thin fingers, is served with drinks.
It’s a savoury loaf, packed with flavours of cheese, bacon, olives and sundried tomatoes. This is also a convenient snack to have as a light lunch with a tossed green salad.
To make a vegetarian version, just leave out the bacon and ham.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1 large onion, finely choppped
- 2 cloves crushed garlic (or 1 tsp powdered garlic)
- 150 gr cheddar cheese
- 110 ml olive oil
- 150 ml white wine
- 350 gr plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- Half tsp herbs de Provence
- 60 gr sundried tomatoes
- 100 gr chopped bacon
- 200 gr lean ham (off the bone) sliced and cut into small pieces
- 2 tblsp chopped parsley
- 100 gr sliced green olives
- 100 gr sliced black olives
Method
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line an loaf tin with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, wine and salt.
- Sift the flour and baking powder, then stir it into the liquid mixture. Set aside.
- Cook the onion and garlic in a bit of oil for a minute or two. Add the bacon to the onion mixture, and cook for a few minutes.
- Remove from pan and pat the excess moisture from the mixture.
- Combine ham, olives, sundried tomatoes, parsley, herbs de Provence and cheese with the onion mixture and mix well.
- Add all these ingredients to the batter and mix till well combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for an hour.
- This loaf freezes well, which means that you can have this tasty, savoury loaf, at your fingertips when the need arises.
