I love savoury scones. You can put just about any combination of cheese and herbs into a buttery scone and get great results,” says Claire Ptak.
“These are the perfect summer treat in a picnic. Frances [Ptak’s daughter] and I have taken them as a snack to the Hackney Marshes, not far from the bakery, to forage wild blackberries. As with all my scones, you can make them and freeze them raw, then bake off as needed.”
Basil, Parmesan and pine nut scones
Makes: 12
Ingredients:
400g plain flour, plus more for rolling
1 tbsp caster sugar
2½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
180g unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes
1 egg
200g sour cream
100g good fresh pesto (from a deli)
50g pine nuts
Freshly grated parmesan
1 egg or egg yolk, beaten with a little water
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan/200C/400F/gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
2. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and pepper into a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or a round-bladed knife (or use a food processor) until crumbly. Whisk the egg, sour cream and pesto together and add to the mix, then stir to combine. Pat the dough into a cube and place on a lightly floured surface.
3. Let the dough rest for five minutes then flatten it to about 2½cm thick with a rolling pin. Scatter the pine nuts over and then fold it in half, like you are closing a book, so that you have a rectangle. Then fold it in half again, so that you have a small square. Rest for seven minutes and then roll into a square about 5cm thick. Use a sharp knife to cut the square into three long pieces. Cut each log into two and then each square into triangles. Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes (at this point you can freeze the unbaked scones to bake another day).
4. Place the chilled scones on the lined baking sheet and brush with the egg and water mixture. Grate each scone with fresh Parmesan and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. These are best eaten on the same day.
Recipe from ‘Love Is A Pink Cake’ by Claire Ptak (Square Peg, £27; photography by Maren Caruso and Pia Riverola).
