Savoury Muffins with Herbs and Dried Toms

Mediterranean flavours with sun-dried tomatoes in oil and fresh herbs for these slightly rustic but nevertheless fragrant muffins in which we have mixed two flours, namely the rice flour and the Italian ‘0’ wheat flour, perfect for baking as it contains more gluten than ’00’ flour and is less refined. As rice flour is gluten-free, it is a weak flour, and therefore not properly ideal for leavened products: this is why we preferred to use it together with another flour such as wheat flour. Thus this is not a completely gluten-free recipe.

Makes 12 Muffins, Preparation 10 minutes, Baking 20 – 25 minutes.

200 g Italian ’00’ wheat flour/Plain Flour
100 g rice flour
5 g cream of tartar + 4 g bicarbonate of soda (approx. 1 teaspoon) otherwise one teaspoon instant yeast
salt and pepper, a teaspoon each
40 ml extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
100 ml whole milk
a sprig of rosemary, chopped
a few sage leaves, 5-6, chopped
3 – 4 basil leaves, chopped
5 – 6 dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
1 peeled garlic clove, chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350 F / Gas 4.

In a bowl mix the two sifted flours together with the chopped herbs and the lightly drained dried tomatoes in oil, add the cream of tartar and the bicarbonate of soda (or add the instant yeast if you use that), mix.

In another larger bowl, mix the oil with the milk, salt and pepper.

Pour dry ingredients (thus flour mix) into the milk+oil bowl and mix everything together. Don’t mix too much, it only takes a few seconds.

With the help of a spoon fill the muffin cases with the mixture, filling them no more than three quarters of the way up the mould because they will still rise.

Bake for about 20 minutes, testing them with a toothpick to see if they are dry inside. Once ready, allow to cool down and then serve.