Finger Food is Bread
I’m buying the idea that this bread could be an hors d’oevres, like homemade potato chips we were offered as a passed around appetizer on the first trip we made to France as snow sculptors. I was a mere translator, not an artist, but all of us were woo-ed with their food, especially that offered to us in the small ski town. It’s what the French do.
Dorie Greenspan in an NYTimes Food article tells me this is a French tradition, although I don’t have a memory of it. Can you imagine it as a cousin to Bruchetta? Savory, and crisp on the edges, better because nothing is falling off the top, dates, cheese and herbs are baked right in. So, yes, I believe Dorie Greenspan.
Easy to make. Many combinations possible. I will be doing this, I can tell, for a while.
Ingredients:
- Oil the bread loaf pan (72 sq. in)
- 2 oz goat cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley and basil
- 5 dates, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 225 g. White Sonora flour
- pinch of nice salt
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1/3 cup cream
- zest of one lime
Chop the goat cheese, cover with zest and stir. Chill – very important. Add chopped herbs to the dates and toss. Measure out the dry ingredients and if you like baking soda add it, but I don’t bother. Make a well for the eggs, oil and cream and then mix all together. Add the dates and cheese, spread into well greased bread loaf pan and bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Cool, tip out and cut into slices 1/2 inch thick (at most). Arrange better than I did on a serving plate. If you have leftovers, I can imagine this for breakfast toasted quickly in a dry frying pan.