CHEESE AND HERB BREAD (NON-YEAST)

Cheese and Herb Bread (non-yeast) image

Number Of Ingredients 15

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3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
4 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, tightly packed
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, for the topping
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped, or 1 tablespoon, dried and crumbled
2 tablespoons fresh thyme chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried and crumbled
1 freshly ground salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Steps:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Butter a 9-by-5-inch bread loaf pan and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, parsley, chives, rosemary, thyme and a generous grinding of pepper. Add the egg/cheese mixture to the flour mixture and, using a spatula, gently combine. Pour into the prepared pan and spread the dough out smoothly and evenly.
Bake on the middle shelf for 50 minutes. Remove and, using a pastry brush or the back of a kitchen spoon, brush with the olive oil. Sprinkle on the remaining 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese and bake another 10 to 15 minutes. If the bread appears pale, place under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to melt the cheese and give the bread a rich golden color. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Remove and cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Gently remove the bread and serve warm or at room temperature.