Feta & Olive Savory Cake

This summer when we were in Paris, we went to a barbecue that was unlike any I'd been to before. We sat in a circle with our hosts, Audrey and Vincent, and their neighbors. It was a get-to-know-your-neighbor kind of gathering. Minutes before the party started, I helped Audrey assemble an assortment of vegetables and a dipping vinaigrette on their coffee table while Joel and Vincent carried beer and chairs down to the courtyard. One of the guys brought his small tailgater-style grill - the only token of "barbecue" at this gathering - and he placed a nice assortment of spicy Spanish sausage and pork on it. In the center of the circle was a small table of wine. Behind us, a few baguettes sat on a window sill and waited patiently to be broken into. As people arrived, they placed their food offerings - veggies, pasta and couscous salads, mini quiches, savory loaves, and more wine and champagne, along with chocolate and cheese for later - on a table near the entrance. Everyone was young, everyone was friendly.

(photo by Joel Smith, who sneakily stood on a chair to capture this scene)

Rather than serving ourselves from the feasting table, we all sat in this circle, conversing (or in my case, listening) as the different dishes were passed around. Thus we each got a little bit of everything, and if anyone wanted a little more, the dish was usually passed around again. At one point toward the end of eating and midway through drinking the rest of the wine, one girl left momentarily to retrieve some dessert from her kitchen. She returned with trays of individual trifles in champagne flutes. I mean, come on. This was a magical night. (And oh, did we feel it the next morning; the coffee Vincent made was absolutely necessary and tasted unbelievably good.)

One of my favorite samplings in this pass-around barbecue meal was a savory bread containing crab and some assortment of herbs and hard cheese. It was salty, rich and toothsome. After we finished passing it around, I sneaked back over to the table a couple of times for another slice.  I've been wanting to make one of these things ever since.

It's been a long time coming, but a vodka tasting party this past weekend provided an easy opportunity, another situation where a group of us was sitting around, eating whatever was placed in front of us. I came across this particular recipe in a lovely collection by Yvette van Boven called Home Made Summer. It's tangy and rich, and perfect, as she says, with a cold glass of white wine. Or vodka.

Feta & Olive Cake

1 3/4 c. self-rising flour

1/3 c. plus 2 T. olive oil (100 ml)

1/3 c. plus 2 T. white wine (100 ml)

3 large eggs

1 c. grated Parmesan

salt and pepper

5 oz. feta, diced

9 oz. mixed olives, pitted and halved or quartered 

Preheat the oven to 325 and generously grease a 9x5 in. loaf pan. 

In a large bowl, whisk flour, oil, wine, eggs and Parmesan until smooth. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper and stir in the feta and olives.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 5 minutes and turn it out to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator, wrapped.