Savoury Cake with Olives, Pistachio and Halloumi cheese

Rachel Khoo baked a savoury cake on BBC's Little Paris Kitchen. She explained that they are popular 

in France and appear in boulangeries, cafes and on picnic menus.

I bought some goats cheese and tried her recipe. I didn't have any pistachios so instead used pecans. I had some olives so included these in place of some of the prunes. The olives came from Baileys deli (see previous post) They were an interesting mix filled with garlic, sundried tomato or feta cheese.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/cheese_pistachio_and_85849 These ingredients are shown in the top photo.

It smelt delicious. I tried some while it was warm and the next day when cold. Warm it seemed a bit too oily for me though very tasty. I preferred this one cold and took a piece with me for lunchtime on a day out. I like the little bursts of different flavours.

I like prunes and in small pieces they are OK in the cake but thought I would prefer to leave them out next time as it's the savoury flavours I liked best.

Next I modified the recipe and made my own version. I cut down on the olive oil.

I managed to get hold of some unsalted pistachios and used halloumi cheese in place of the goat's cheese. I didn't add any salt, both the olives and the cheese contain it.

I was please with the result. Halloumi cheese holds its shape when cooked but isn't big on flavour so I shall experiment with some other cheeses. Maybe a different halloumi would have more flavour.

2 eggs

2 3/4 oz plain yoghurt

milk

flour 6oz white flour 3 oz wholemeal flour

1 1/2 oz pistachios chopped  (pecans work well too.)

1 1/2 oz olives pitted and chopped

Halloumi cheese cut into small cubes  4-6 oz

 1/2 oz 15g Baking powder

Olive oil 7 tbs

fresh rosemary leaves

Mix the whisk the eggs till fluffy then bit by bit whisk in the milk, oil and yogurt. and baking powder thoroughly.

In another bowl combine the flour and baking powder with the chopped ingredients. Gently fold this into the mixture in the first bowl.

Place in a loaf tin lined with oiled greaseproof paper.

Top with rosemary leaves.

Cook at gas 4 for 40-50 min.