Yogurt and Plum Cake
About two weeks back I instagrammed some breakfast treats I had made for my child's class Walk to School party. I was asked for the recipes. Many also keep asking me to continue sharing the pasta knowledge I have accumulated, both through default of the family and country into which I was born and the professional experience I have accumulated through the years. I have listened, so here we go.
For your breakfast: the banana bread is the work of my dear friend and fairy godmother Tori Ritchie, food writer extraordinaire, you can find it here, on her delightful Tuesday Recipe blog. The other one is a simple yogurt cake, which I adapted from an Italian children's cookbook and I like to tailor to the whims of my food hankerings or the gifts of the season. On that day, it was plums, whose yearly appearance is coming to an end as I write. The recipe is at the bottom of this post.
For pasta classes: this Sunday October 27 I am holding a handmade pasta workshop at Ramekins in Sonoma and on Saturday December 7 at 18 Reasons in the Mission I will teach about regional specialties pasta for the winter holiday table, the class will include casunziei ampezzani, an unusual beet and poppy seed combination hailing from Cortina d'Ampezzo, one of Italy's better known skiing towns.
banana bread (left) and tortino allo yogurt e susine (right)
Tortino di yogurt e susineYogurt and plums loaf cake
Note: use the yogurt container as a measuring unit
for a 10" loaf pan:5 plums 3 containers all purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 container brown raw sugar pinch of salt grated zest of an orange 3 eggs 1 6 ounces container plain full fat yogurt 1/2 container extra-virgin olive oil powdered sugar
Line the loaf pan with parchment paper. Cut the plums in half, remove the stone and yield 4 to 5 slices from each half.
In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and zest. Work in the eggs, then the yogurt and, lastly, the olive oil.
Pour the batter into the lined loaf pan.
Bake at 375˚F for about 40 to 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Unmold and let cool on a rack. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
NOTES:
Choose a light, fruity olive oil for this recipe or a flavorless other vegetable oil
Use any fruit you might have languishing at the bottom of your refrigerator
Customize with chocolate and nuts or various spices
Substitute any citrus zest if you do not have oranges