Arugula & Pine Nut Savoury Bread

Here’s a really easy and delicious bread you can make as an appetizer or to pair up with a meal.  It uses eggs and baking powder for leavening, so no need to wait for it to rise. I brought a loaf to a party where we slathered our slices with a bit of butter, and the whole loaf went really quickly. With picnic season coming up I can see myself making this one a few times to eat al fresco.

I substituted spinach for the arugula, which was delicious, but I imagine the arugula would give it even more flavour. She uses self-raising flour, but I changed the recipe a little so I could use all-purpose flour.  This bread is light enough that you could use some whole wheat flour.

This recipe is from Yvette Van Boven’s book Home Made Summer.

What you need:

• 100 grams washed and dried arugula or spinach
• 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 & 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons sour cream (I used 2% yogurt)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup pine nuts

What you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 325F and grease a 5-by-9 loaf pan with butter.
2. Chop the arugula and set it aside.
3. In a bowl whisk the baking powder, salt and pepper into the flour, then add the eggs, sour cream or yogurt, olive oil and mustard.  Mix on high for about a minute – this makes a very thick batter, but don’t worry, it will make a nice light loaf.
4. Fold in the arugula and pine nuts, then pour the batter into the pan and press it into the corners.
5. Bake for 40 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the loaf cool for about 5 minutes, then remove it from the pan.
6. Serve it either hot or at room temperature with a bit of butter.