This quick bread takes you on an instant trip to Spain. I love this sliced and toasted, with more cheese and chorizo on top as a welcome snack.

Makes 1 loaf (24 thin slices)

Equipment

A nonstick 1-quart (1 l) rectangular bread pan.

Ingredients

Oil, for oiling the pan
1 1/4 cups (180 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 large eggs, preferably organic and free-range, lightly beaten
1/3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup (80 ml) plain whole-milk yogurt
5 ounces (150 g) Spanish Manchego cheese, cut into 1/4-inch (1/2 cm) cubes
2 ounces (60 g) Spanish chorizo, cut into 1/4-inch (1/2 cm) cubes
1 teaspoon hot Spanish paprika
20 pimento-stuffed green olives

Method

1.  Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly oil the pan.

2.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix to blend. In another bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, and yogurt.  In a third bowl, toss together the cheese, chorizo, paprika, and olives. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir to blend. Add the cheese mixture to the flour mixture and stir to blend. Add the cheese mixture and stir to blend.

3.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth out the top with a spatula. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the bread is firm and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a rack to cool. Once it has cooled, unmold and serve it at room temperature, in thin slices.

Variations

Omit the cheese and chorizo and replace them with 1 tablespoon toasted ground cumin and 1 tablespoon toasted whole cumin seeds; or, for Curry Bread, omit the cheese and chorizo and replace with 1 tablespoon Homemade Curry Powder (page 282 of The French Kitchen Cookbook).

This recipe was first published in The French Kitchen Cookbook: Recipes and Lessons from Paris and Provence.

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