There’s a recipe I often make whenever I need to bring something to a country lunch or a picnic, to an aperitif with friends, or simply when I want to empty the zucchini drawer in the fridge. The savory plumcake. What I propose today, however, is not the usual batter with the vegetables thrown in raw; there is one extra step, simple but that I confess makes all the difference.
I pan-fry the zucchini first. I’ll explain why right away, but first let me tell you how this version was born.
I had two zucchinis in the fridge, some cooked ham left over from the day before and some scamorza cheese that was about to run out. I didn’t feel like making the usual classic savory pie. I wanted something that was easier to transport, that could be cut into slices and that could be eaten cold. And that’s how this savory plumcake came about. Since then it’s become a classic in my kitchen.
The secret? The zucchini are cooked first in a pan. Ten minutes with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper are enough. This step dries out all the vegetable water that would otherwise make the batter wet, and moreover the zucchinis absorb flavor and brown slightly. The result? a plumcake dry, soft, fragrant. Not too moist or watery, which easily happens when adding raw vegetables.
So what are you waiting for? Follow the scent… the recipe continues!
If you’re looking for a savory tart or something tasty to bring to the table you can also look at:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 15 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 50 Minutes
- Portions: 10Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer and Autumn, Spring, Summer
Ingredients for the savory plumcake with zucchini
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs (medium)
- 3.4 fl oz cooking cream
- 3.4 fl oz sunflower oil
- 3.4 fl oz milk
- 10.6 oz zucchini (about 2 medium)
- 5.3 oz cooked ham
- 5.3 oz provolone (or hard cheese)
- 1.8 oz grated Parmesan
- 1 clove garlic
- to taste fine salt
- as needed sunflower oil
Tools
- 1 Loaf pan about 10¼ in
Preparation
Wash the zucchini and cut them into slices. Heat the garlic (it will flavor the zucchini during cooking) and a little oil at a time in a pan (add more when you put the zucchini back in if needed) and cook the zucchini over medium heat for about 5–6 minutes, without a lid, turning them often until they are soft and lightly golden. Salt and let cool slightly. Cut them into squares or rectangles, leaving aside about 6 or 7 zucchini slices which will be used to decorate the savory plumcake.
Preheat the oven to 356°F (static mode). Butter and flour the loaf pan or line it with baking paper.
In a large bowl beat the eggs with the salt. Add the grated Parmesan, the cooking cream and the sunflower oil. Mix with a whisk or electric mixer until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
Sift the flour together with the baking powder and fold into the mixture. Mix just enough to combine and do not overwork the batter or the plumcake will become tough.
Add the milk and incorporate everything.
Gently fold in the zucchini, the cheese cubes and the cooked ham. Mix with a spatula to distribute the filling evenly.
Pour the batter into the pan, level the surface with a spatula and decorate the top with the zucchini slices you set aside.Place in the middle of the oven. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the surface is nicely golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out dry. If the top tends to brown too much, cover with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes.
My tips
Please, don’t skip the pan-cooking of the zucchini. This step prevents a wet, heavy center.
After adding the flour do not over-mix; 20–30 seconds are enough. Excess mixing activates the gluten and makes the plumcake tough instead of soft.
Always use the static oven at 356°F. The fan (convection) dries the surface before the center is cooked.
For the cheese you can choose provola, fontina, emmental or scamorza.
The day after it’s even better: the flavors meld. Store it in the fridge wrapped in cling film and take it out 20 minutes before serving.
Variations
You can make this plumcake vegetarian simply by omitting the ham and adding black olives or oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes.
In autumn try it with roasted pumpkin instead of zucchini and speck instead of ham.
The base batter always remains the same, only the filling changes.
How to store the savory plumcake
Keep it in the refrigerator, wrapped in cling film, for 2–3 days. Before serving remove it from the fridge at least 20 minutes beforehand, or heat the slices in the microwave and for a few minutes in the oven at 320°F: you’ll recover the original softness and the cheese will become slightly soft again.
You can also freeze it already sliced, with slices individually wrapped in cling film, for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or directly in the oven.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Why should the zucchini be cooked first in a pan?
Zucchini contain a lot of vegetable water which, if not removed, makes the batter wet and risks leaving the center of the plumcake undercooked. Pan-cooking solves the problem and at the same time flavors the zucchini with a light browning.
Can I use butter instead of vegetable oil?
Yes, you can replace the vegetable oil with the same amount of melted and cooled butter. The flavor will be slightly richer, but the texture will change a bit: the plumcake will tend to become a bit more compact the next day.
Which cheese is best for the savory plumcake?
Scamorza, fontina or emmental are ideal because they melt well without releasing too much water. Avoid fresh mozzarella (too wet) and very aged cheeses that do not melt.
