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Savoury muffins
Makes 12 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- butter, for greasing (optional)
- 40g pine nuts
- 225g self-raising flour
- 2tsp baking powder
- 100g polenta or semolina
- 150g grated mature cheddar cheese
- 150g courgettes, grated
- 2 eggs
- 200ml natural yoghurt
- 80ml olive or rapeseed oil
- 75g ham, salami or chorizo, finely chopped
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases. Alternatively, lightly grease the holes of the muffin tin, then press a 13cm square of baking paper into each hole, shaping the squares to fit by folding their sides.
Put the pine nuts in a dry, non-stick pan over a medium heat for a few minutes, shaking and tossing the pan continuously until they start to turn golden. (Don’t leave them in the pan or they will quickly burn.) Tip them out onto a plate to cool. Mix together the flour, baking powder and polenta in a mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, lightly mix together two-thirds of the cheese and all the remaining ingredients. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix quickly and lightly to form a lumpy batter. (Over-mixing will make the cooked muffins turn out heavy.) Spoon into the prepared muffin cases and scatter the remaining cheese over the top. Bake for 20 minutes until risen and golden. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.
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