This savoury breakfast loaf is a rather indulgent way to start the day. Jam packed with vegetables and protein from the cheese and eggs, it will keep you rolling through the day. It also makes a divine snack, that is easy to throw together. This will give you roughly 10 good slices; you want them nice and thick. I tend to save half, keeping them in the fridge. I then freeze the second half of the slices for easy future meals.
This is often my breakfast on Monday morning. I need something to help me wind down from the weekend and gear up for work. This breakfast loaf is full of brunch ingredients, making it cross that barrier beautifully. And because I tend to throw a slice into the office toaster, I prefer to use harder cheeses such as cheddar or parmesan. Gouda or gruyere add a lovely nutty flavour thought these need to be balanced with a hard cheese for stability. If you are vegetarian, parmesan cheese is not. So opt for a vegetarian cheddar and swap the parmesan portion for your favourite vegetarian cheese. Your loaf will be a little more crumbly, but still taste absolutely delicious. This loaf will also bake beautifully without the pancetta, but do add a little extra salt.
This breakfast loaf can transform into a luxurious weekend brunch when topped with fresh avocado and a gently poached egg. A dash of hollandaise lifts it even more, and your home kitchen becomes a cheeky cafe.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 2x cloves garlic, minced
- 1x small onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp sage leaves, finely chopped
- 100gm pancetta lardons, chopped
- 200gm pumpkin, peeled and cubed into 1 cm cubes
- 350gm zucchini, grated
- 1/2 cup cheddar, grated
- 1/2 cup parmesan, grated
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- Salt and pepper to season
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease a loaf tin and line it with baking paper, leaving a little hanging over the sides. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onion, garlic, sage and pancetta. Cook over a high heat for a few minutes until lightly golden. Place in a large bowl and add all the grated elements: pumpkin, zucchini and the two cheeses. Sift in the flour, baking powder and season with a little salt and pepper. Mix to combine and then make a well in the centre. Add the eggs, buttermilk and seasoning, then stir until all combined. Bake for one hour until golden on top and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in the tin and then serve with a delicious piccalilli or ploughman's chutney.
