Spinach Forward Savory Scones

Savory scones were really common at cafes when I was growing up in New Zealand. The spinach and feta was a classic. But over the years, I see them less and less, especially in Melbourne. Maybe they have gone out of vogue? This recipe is an homage to the savory scones of my childhood but with my own “adult” spin on them. They are filled with spinach, sharp cheddar and a tonne of freshly ground black pepper and still offer the tender light crumb. The basic scone recipe is extremely fuss-free and can be substituted with what ever toppings or vegetables you have rolling around in your fridge. Just be sure to squeeze out any moisture if you're using vegetables like zucchini or tomato as they will make the dough too wet and mess with the texture. The cubes of cheese for me are mandatory as I love the way some ooze out during baking and create the gooey-crunchy bits around the scone. The best bit imo.

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Spinach Forward Savory Scones

Yield: 9

Ingredients

• 3 cups self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 100g cold unsalted butter, cubed into 1 cm pieces
• 120g spinach, washed, dried and finely chopped
• 200g sharp cheddar cheese, 1.5 cm cubes
• 1 ½ tablespoons freshly ground black pepper, more for topping
• 3 large stalks spring onion, greens and whites, thinly sliced.
• 1 ½ cup (325 ml) whole milk
• Flaky salt, for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200C (180C fan-forced) and line a large sheet tray with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Put in butter and using your finger tips, rub into the flour. You don’t need to be too precise, some larger chunks are okay.
3. Into the flour mixture, add in the spinach, cheese, black pepper and spring onions. Mix well until everything is coated well in the flour.
4. Add in approximately half the milk, try to distribute it across the surface, not just in one area. Using a bowl scraper or butter knife mix to combine. Add in more milk, concentrating on the drier areas of the mixture and combine*.
5. Put the mixture onto a flat surface and bring the dough together to a cohesive-ish lump**. Form into a square 18 cm X 18 cm (about 4cm high), and cut into 9 even squares.
6. Place them onto your prepared baking sheet at least 2-3cm apart. Brush with milk and top with flaky salt and more ground black pepper.
7. Bake in the oven for 20- 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

*The amount of milk you will need will depend on your flour and humidity levels. If the mixture feels too dry, add a little milk and if it is too wet, add a little more flour.

**Don’t kneed like you would bread, but you don’t need to be too gentle with it either. You just want the dough to come together cohesively.

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