Bacon, figs and parsley savoury cake

It was a totally random purchase, in an airport bookstore. I had a couple of minutes to grab a book to read in the plane and this one just got my attention. It looked like yet another expat experience with yet more live changing experiences inducing snooze fest. For extra  cynicism, I only found broken hearts in the city of love… But it were the recipes that caught my attention. A love story with recipes? Never mind it is even in Paris – that is totally worthwhile reading. And it was… It is a quick, funny and light read. For a quick sum up of traditional home style french dishes, it is also excellent. I feel I will come back to this book over and over again.

Bacon, figs and parsley cake (adapted from Elizabeth Bard‘s  Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes)

Ingredients 

• 120g of all purpose flour (about 1 and 1/4 cup)
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 200g sliced bacon or pancetta
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 120 mL olive oil (about 1/2 cup)
• 120 mL full fat milk (about 1/2 cup)
• 8 soft dried figs
• 2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley
• 100g of grated Gruyere cheese

Method 

Pre-heat the stove to 160oC

Sift the flour with the baking powder to a bawl.

Butter and flour a baking dish (or use a non stick baking spray). Cover the bottom of the dish with parchment paper.

In a small frying pan, fry the bacon strips until all fat is gone. Take them out of the pan and pat them dry with kitchen paper.

In a medium size bawl, beat the eggs with the salt. When they are mixed, add the milk and olive oil. Carry on beating until you obtain a light fluffy structure.

Fold the flower into the mix until is incorporated (be careful  not to over mix  – a couple of time will do).

Add the remaining ingridients  (fried bacon, parsley and grafted cheese)  gently mix then in.

Put the batter in the baking dish and transfer to the oven. Let it bake for about 1hour. Test with a knife before taking it out – it should came out dry.

Take it out from the dish while still hot, and let it cool down before serving.