Tomato-Pistachio Loaf

Owes a lot to the Tomato, Pistachio, and Chorizo Loaf in Clotilde Dusoulier's Chocolate and Zucchini cookbook, but of course I had no yogurt on hand, no chorizo, no parsley, no dried tomatoes, no loaf pan... so it's morphed into its own thing. Cilantro and toasted mustard seeds make up for some of the sharpness of flavor that the chorizo would bring.

Tomato-Pistachio Loaf

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3 large eggs
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2/3 cup grape tomatoes
3/4 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, toasted
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds

In a small skillet, saute the tomatoes in 1tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat until they begin to blister and blacken. Turn the heat to low, add the mustard seeds to the oil, and cook several minutes longer, until the mustard seeds are browned. Remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 6 by 6 baking dish (or probably a 9 by 5 loaf pan, since that was what this was meant to be baked in). In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, salt, and pepper with a wooden spoon. Beat in the oil and ricotta and continue beating until creamy and well-blended, with no ricotta lumps. Add the flour and baking powder, and mix just until incorporated. Do not overmix. Fold in the pistachios, tomatoes (with any oil remaining), and cilantro.

Bake 40-45 minutes, until slightly golden and a knife inserted comes out cleanly. Serve in cubes as a cocktail appetizer or in more substantial slices as a light lunch with a green salad.

Serves about 16 as an appetizer or 4 - 6 as a lunch.