Olive and cheese bread with white wine

The rich olive oil and wine give the bread a subtle fruity aroma, but feel free to substitute the wine with alcohol-free white wine or alcohol-free beer; you can even use equal amounts of apple cider vinegar and water. This bread goes well with a cheese platter and a glass of ice-cold white wine.

Makes 1 loaf • Preparation time: 10 minutes • Baking time: 50 minutes to 1 hour Oven temperature: 180°C

• 3 eggs, beaten

• 125ml dry white wine

• 80ml olive oil

• 500ml (280g) cake flour

• 15ml baking powder

• 200g kalamata olives, pitted and sliced • 125ml grated mature cheddar

• a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste

1 Preheat the oven. Grease a 20cm loaf pan and line with baking paper. Beat the eggs, wine and olive oil together; sift the flour and baking powder together. Stir the egg mixture into the flour, followed by the olives, cheese, salt and pepper until just mixed. The batter doesn’t have to be 100% smooth, but all the flour must be incorporated.

2 Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes; test to see if it’s done. If the skewer doesn’t come out clean, bake for another 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. This bread is best served fresh. >>