Recipe: Asparagus, sun-dried tomato & olive loaf

Ingredients:

• 100ml olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 250g asparagus spears, each cut into 3 pieces
• 200g self-raising flour
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 100ml milk
• handful pitted black olives
• 100g sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 100g gruyère or Beaufort, grated

Method

1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Oil and line the base of a loaf tin (approx 22 x 10 x 5cm) with baking paper. Cook the asparagus in boiling, salted water for 2 mins, drain, then cool quickly under cold running water. Pat dry.
2. Mix the flour and thyme with seasoning in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, then add the eggs, milk, and oil, stirring all the time to draw the flour into the center. Beat for 1 min to make a smooth batter.
3. Reserve 5 asparagus tips and a few olives. Add the remaining asparagus, tomatoes, olives, and two-thirds of the cheese to the batter. Pour into the tin, then put the reserved asparagus and olives on top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 35-40 mins until the cake feels firm to the touch and is golden and crusty on top. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out and cool on a wire rack.

Recipe from BBC Good Food: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/asparagus-sundried-tomato-olive-loaf