Sundried tomato and olive (soda) bread

We are once again trying to prepare for the de-frosting of the freezer. We must succeed this time. We plan to finish eating what is left in there when get back from our holidays. Meals of defrosted fresh ingredients and the store cupboard will abound after the excesses of US dining. So, today I had the fabulous excuse of leading up to this, by de-frosting and baking the whole camembert that I store in the freezer, you know in case of a camembert emergency. I had reintroduced this one after the last freezer purge.


The planned soft gooey delicious mess needed something for dipping into it. There is nothing easier than a soda bread, knocked up, literally in a couple of minutes with little kneading or proving. I also had some sundried tomatoes and black olive to kick this bread up a notch so that it would match my fancy baked camembert. This loaf is small, enough for 3-4. Double the proportions for a larger loaf.


What you will need
250 plain flour
1 tea spoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tea spoon salt
200ml live yoghurt
3-4 sundried tomatoes (chopped)
2 table spoons sliced black olives
1 tea spoon oregano


Begin by placing the dry goods in a bowl (flour, bicarbonate and salt).


Stir in the chopped tomatoes and sliced olives before adding the yoghurt and bringing the dough together. Add just a splash of water if necessary at the end to combine the ingredients into a round ball of dough.


Set on a non stick or oiled baking tray and cut a cross through the top, taking care not to go all the way through. Sprinkle over the oregano.

Bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 40 minutes until crisp on the outside and cooked through the middle. As with cakes, a knife through the centre should come away clean.

Eat fresh and warm. In my case with the baked camembert today. It can also be used as a base for bruschetta the next day by slicing thickly, toasting and topping with olive oil, tomatoes and fresh basil.