Savoury French ‘cake’
Salty, cheesy, olive-y, and begging for a drink in hand – this savoury loaf has serious aperitivo energy. It’s French-ish (cake salé, if we’re being fancy), endlessly riffable, and one of those recipes that reliably makes you look like a total genius with very little effort. Think of it as a cross between a quick bread and a giant, warm antipasto selection. There’s ham (or chorizo or salami), briny olives, heaps of cheese, and a beautifully golden crust that practically crackles when you slice it. You don’t need a mixer, just a bowl and a spoon. It’s perfect for late-afternoon nibbling with friends, ideally with a glass of white or something spritzy. And if you’re wondering how it stands up to a smear of butter, the answer is ‘perfectly well, thank you very much.’
MAKES 1 23x9cm LOAF
200g smoked ham, salami or dried chorizo, in one piece
155g (1½ cups) drained pitted green olives
200g (about 2 cups) grated gruyere, mature cheddar, parmesan, or a mixture
335g (2¼ cups) plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 tsp each sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
60ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
250ml (1 cup) buttermilk
handful flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1½ tbsp chopped thyme leaves (optional)
Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan-forced. Lightly grease and flour the sides of a 23 x 9 cm loaf tin or terrine, then line the base with baking paper.
Chop the ham into small (about 5mm) pieces. Using your hands, squeeze the olives firmly to remove as much liquid as possible, then coarsely chop. Combine in a bowl with the ham and cheese, then set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl to mix well. In another bowl, combine the eggs, olive oil and buttermilk, then whisk to combine well.
Add the cheese mixture to the flour mixture in the bowl and toss to combine. Add the egg mixture, parsley and thyme, if using, then use a large metal spoon to mix well; take care not to over-mix or the cake will be tough. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until golden and a cake tester withdraws clean. Cool the cake in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve sliced with your favourite white wine or aperitif.
The cake is best served on the day of making but you can refrigerate any leftovers then serve them toasted. Use your oven grill for this as you may make a mess of your toaster otherwise!
