Portuguese Savory Cheese Loaf

Bolo de Queijos
by Elvira André
of Elvira’s Bistrot
Serves 4

This dense, cakey bread is a favorite of Elvira André, a prolific food blogger in Portugal — she has four blogs in two languages. Perfect for picnics or a lunch, it also pairs well with a freshly tossed salad or a bowl of light soup. The recipe calls for a firm, yellow Cheddar-like cheese called São Jorge, which comes from the Azorean island of the same name, and for presunto, a dry-cured ham, similar to prosciutto. Spanish Manchego and Italian prosciutto can, respectively, be substituted, although rather bullish on the Portuguese originals.—Elvira André

convert Ingredients
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon milk, more if needed
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced herbs, such as chives, parsley, cilantro, or oregano
Black pepper, to taste
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
4 ounces Queijo São Jorge, Manchego, or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
4 ounces creamy, mild feta cheese, or other fresh cheese, drained and crumbled into 1/2-inch pieces
One 1/8-inch-thick slice (1 ounce) presunto or prosciutto, cubed

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350°C (180ºC). Line a 4-by-8-inch rectangular loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs on medium until thick and lemon yellow, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the milk, olive oil, herbs, and pepper and mix until combined.

3. In a small bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together. Add the Queijo São Jorge and feta and toss to coat. Fold the flour-and-cheese mixture into the egg mixture until no traces of flour can be seen. Add a bit more milk if the dough appears dry. Fold in the presunto.

4. Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a rack and let cool in the pan until just warm to the touch before turning out. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe © 2006 by Elvira André. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.