Savory Gascony Quick bread
Celebrating Julia
“People who love to eat are always the best people!”
We could not agree more! We celebrate Julia Child’s birthday with a recipe from one of her favorite regions in Southwest France-Gascony. Referred to as “the other south of France” it is known for hearty cuisine and white wine. Why not a savory quick bread to enjoy with a glass of wine and a fresh seasonal salad to toast Julia? Yields approx. 10-15 slices.
Simple Ingredients:
1/2 cup Villa Graziella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for brushing the pan
1 teaspoon Villa Graziella Organic Tuscan herb seasoning blend for vegetables.
2 cups baked ham or thick prosciutto, cut into ¼ cubes
2 cups coarsely grated or cut Gruyère or Emmentaler cheese
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk-almond, oak milk ok
3 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 package dry yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Easy Directions:
Preheat oven to 350◦F, arrange rack in the oven to the center. generously brush a loaf pan with olive oil.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and olive oil.
In a separate bowl combine ham and flour.
Add wet ingredients into bowl with ham & flour, do not over mix, combine with 10-12 swift strokes, batter will be thick with a few traces of flour.
Fold in cheese to batter.
Add seasoning blend, salt, pepper, sprinkle yeast and gently mix.
Pour batter into a loaf pan, distribute evenly to each corner and smooth the top.
Bake until golden brown 50-60 minutes or if an inserted toothpick or knife into the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool approx. 5 minutes, run a knife or spatula around edges to release.
Slice, serve at warm or at room temperature and enjoy with white wine.
Helpful Hints:
For a heartier version, add 1/3 cup small-diced, pitted Niçoise or black olives approx. 1 ¼ ounces, to step n. 3 when combining flour and ham.
Do not overmix, overmixing causes bread to deflate and form holes once baked.
Any extra oil that oozes to the top, pour out before cooling.
Set the oven timer for 50 minutes and test with a toothpick, overbaked bread is chewy and dry, while undercooked bread can collapse.
Bake two loaves and freeze 2nd in wax paper followed by freezer paper. Freeze up to 1 month.
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 1 week.
To download this recipe click here
Source: Baily, Lee California Wine Country Cooking Clarkson Potter 1991
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Grazie da Team VILLA GRAZIELLA ORGANIC!