This quick bread is from Delia Smith’s Christmas, and a firm family favourite. The sage makes it Christmassy I guess! Serves 6-8.
350 gms onions finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
350 gms self raising flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons mustard powder
24 fresh sage leaves, snipped across into thin strips
110 gms strong Cheddar cheese, grated
1 egg
Approximately 5 tablespoons milk
Brown the onions in the oil over a medium heat for about 10 mins, remove from the pan and leave to cool.
Mix the onion with all the ingredients except the milk and egg in a large bowl. Beat the egg and milk together in a smaller bowl and add enough of this, bit by bit, to make a soft dough. Start by mixing with a round edged knife or palette knife until it comes together and finish off with your fingertips, kneading gently to form the soft dough.
Transfer the dough to a well greased baking tray (I line the tray with baking parchment and dust with flour) and roll out to a 20cm round. Make deep cuts in the top with a sharp knife to form 12 wedges. Brush with the leftover milk and egg mix, and bake for 45 mins. Serve immediately with lashings of butter, cold meats, cheeses, chutneys, tomatoes … You get the idea.
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