Recipe: sun-dried tomato, olive and basil bread

This easy bread is very popular in France where it is somewhat confusingly called ‘cake’. 

It is like a cross between a savoury bread and a quiche, and delicious to pack for a picnic. 

Read also: Recipe: goat’s cheese, thyme and red onion tartlets

SERVES 6 

Equipment 

• 21 x 11cm non-stick loaf pan, lightly greased and floured 

Ingredients 

• 175g plain flour 

• 1 tablespoon baking powder 

• 3 large eggs 

• 100ml milk 

• 100ml olive oil 

• 100g grated mature Gruyère cheese 

• 100g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped 

• 60g stoned black olives marinated with herbs, roughly chopped a small handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly sliced sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 

2. Sift the flour with the baking powder and season well with salt and black pepper. Whisk the eggs, then whisk in the milk and oil. Tip two-thirds of the liquid into the flour, beat well, then add the remaining liquid. Mix in the Gruyère, tomatoes, olives and basil, then tip into the prepared loaf pan. 

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool, then remove from the pan. Wrap in aluminium foil and keep in the fridge until your picnic. 

4. Serve at room temperature, sliced and then cut into halves or squares

This recipe features in the cookbook 'Picnic' published by Ryland Peters & Small (£14.99). Photography © Ryland Peters & Small