Zucchini Olive Bread

I love zucchini bread and this one is just a bit different. This bread, while loaded with zucchini, also calls for olives and cheese. It's going to be wildly different from the loaves I'm accustomed to. According to the recipe description this bread can be served as an appetizer, a side at brunch, or as an accompaniment to a main course. I'm thinking it might be good for breakfasts.

Zucchini-Olive Bread
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2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c (2 oz.) freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
3 eggs
1/3 c olive oil
1/4 c milk
2 c shredded zucchini (about 2 medium)
1/2 c coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
2 tbsp minced onion

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8 1/2x4 1/2-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In medium bowl, stir together flour, cheese, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper until well-combined.
  

In large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil and milk until blended.
  

Stir in zucchini, olives and onion.
  

Stir flour mixture into zucchini mixture just until flour mixture is incorporated (batter will be very stiff).
  

Spoon into pan; pat smooth with fingertips moistened with water.
  

Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
 

Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan.
 

Cool completely on wire rack, about 2 hours.


I'm not sure what to make of this. It was okay but not fantastic. While "moist" to the touch, it is a fairly dry bread, leaving me very thirsty. Or maybe it's the subtle salt working to dry my tongue. I say subtle because I really thought the olives and parmesan would offer much more of a salty pizzazz. 

The bread is quite eggy; I'm not certain that three is necessary but do wonder what would happen with the density if a third was omitted. The zucchini, very prettily green and evenly distributed doesn't offer much more than color. The bread reminds me of spoonbread, just drier. Done at the minimum baking time, 55 minutes, I think I should have checked it sooner!

Time to execute the recipe was an hour-and-a-half, but cooling time isn't considered in the label.

Cost: 

• all-purpose flour: $0.18
• Parmesan cheese: $1.08
• sugar: $0.03
• eggs: $0.91
• olive oil: $0.32
• milk: $0.09
• zucchini: $1.04
• Kalamata olives: $1.15
• onion: $0.05

Total: $4.85 or about $0.40 for each of 12 servings.