This savoury cake is simple to make and adapt to whatever is needing using up in your fridge. It is an easy way to get more veg into kids, and is perfect for on-the-go meals (breakfast, lucnh or dinner), for lunchboxes, journeys or picnics. Gluten free, sugar free, dairy free and vegetarian.
- 125 g (1 cup) gluten free plain flour (a shop-bought blend or homemade one - you can sub regular plain or wholemeal flour if you want)
- 75 g (3/4 cup) ground almonds (or almond flour)
- 2 teaspoons (gluten free) baking powder
- a decent pinch of sea salt
- large handful fresh chopped basil or parsley, or 2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs (I like Herbes de Provence)
- large handful pitted black or green olives, optional (roasted red peppers or a few sundried tomatoes make good alternatives)
- 3 medium eggs
- 175 ml (3/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil (or use 225g/1 cup unsalted butter, melted)
- 1 medium courgette (zucchini), grated (or sub a medium carrot, grated - a mix of a small courgette and a small carrot also works)
- 1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced (thin slices of courgette/zucchini or aubergine/eggplant could work as alternatives, just make sure to slice very finely so they cook quickly)
- large handful fresh kale (or spinach/other fresh greens), torn into small pieces
- extra virgin olive oil
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- a little soft goat's cheese, optional
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Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas 5. Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in a jug or separate bowl and pour into the dry. Stir until just combined. Pour into a lightly greased casserole dish or cake tin (a deep 6-8"/15-20cm tin should do, but I prefer to use a 7"/18cm shallow casserole dish - this one). Top with the slices of tomato, then tear the kale into small pieces and scatter around the tomatoes over the batter. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with black pepper. Add a few dots of fresh soft goat's cheese if you like. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool and serve warm or cold, ideally with a large side salad or fresh homemade coleslaw like this one.