Cheese-and-olive Loaf

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk
• 6 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons green tapenade
• 6 ounces grated cheese, comte, gruyere, swiss or 6 ounces cheddar cheese
• 2/3 cup oil-cured pitted black olives, halved (coarsely chopped)
• 1 grated lemons, zest of (optional) or 1/2 orange (optional)

Recipe

• 1 center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400º f.
• 2 oil or butter an 8 1/2-x-4 1/2-inch loaf pan, one that holds 6 cups (nonstick is nice here).
• 3 whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium mixing bowl.
• 4 in another bowl or a measuring cup, lightly beat the eggs and whisk in the milk, olive oil and tapenade.
• 5 pour the liquid ingredients over the flour mixture and stir gently to blend.
• 6 switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the cheese, olives and grated zest, if you’re using it & scrape the batter into the pan.
• 7 bake the loaf for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 375ºf.
• 8 continue to bake the loaf for another 35 minutes or so, until it’s puffed, beautifully golden and a slender knife inserted deep into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
• 9 transfer the pan to a cooling rack, let it rest about 5 minutes, then turn it out.
• 10 allow the loaf to remain on the rack, right side up, until it comes to room temperature.
• 11 enjoy!