Cheese, Zucchini & Pinenut Scones

Last weekend I decided that it was time to tackle the overgrown grass surrounding my veggie plot (which I think has some tomatoes growing in it) but upon getting the grass strimmer out of the shed I discovered I had no cord left- time for the Sunday afternoon dash to the DIY store.

On my way back home I got lost. Honestly it wasn’t on purpose to get out of the grass cutting I was genuinely lost in Mt Roskhill or somewhere. After about 20mins of going around in manic circles I found myself on familiar territory, albeit not where I had been heading to begin with but I could work with it.

Hot, bothered and slightly irritable I turned the car towards home and spied something which always lightens my heart-a café I hadn’t visited before. The car promptly got dumped and in I limped in for a much needed flat white and a scone. I was so frazzled I forgot to take pictures and I can’t even remember what the café was called. It did however have some divine scones-cheese, zucchini and pinenut.

So after some grass mowing and strimming I relaxed in the kitchen by attempting to recreate the scones from the café.

So tell me, do you grow your own vegetables and do you think they are worth the hassle?

Cheese, Zucchini and Pinenut Scones

Ingredients

This recipe is for approx. 9-12 scones depending on size of cutter.

·         3 cups plain flour

·         1 ½ Tbsp. baking powder

·         ¼ Tsp. salt

·         50g butter

·         2 small zucchini, grated

·         2 Tbsp. pinenuts, toasted

·         50g cheese, grated

1.   Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2.   Grate the zucchini and squeeze to remove excess water. Set aside.

3.   Toast the pinenuts in the oven for about 5mins. Keeping a close eye so that they don’t burn. Set aside to cool.

4.   Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine, or you can do this by hand with a big bowl and a wooden spoon.

5.   Add the butter, roughly cut into cubes, and process until you get fine breadcrumbs. If doing this by hand-rub the butter in until you have a consistency of fine breadcrumbs.

6.   Add the drained zucchini, cooled pinenuts and half of the grated cheese.

Pulse the food processor to combine.

7.   Tip the contents of the food processor into a large bowl and create a well in the centre. Add the milk.

8.   Mix in the milk using a cutting action, which will create large lumps of scone mixture as it comes together.

9.   Use your hands to gently gather the dough together and knead to create a smooth ball. DO NOT OVERWORK THE DOUGH.

10. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about ½ inch thickness. Cut out shapes.

11. Place on a greased baking tray and brush the tops with a little egg wash (equal parts egg and milk whisked together) and top with the remaining cheese.

12.  Bake for about 20mins.