Cornbread with Olives and Walnuts (Zeytinli, cevizli, mısır ekmeği)

Cornmeal is a gluten-free alternative to the regular flour, it is nutritious; mainly carbohydrate but some moderate amounts of protein and vitamins. With the recipe here I describe, it becomes highly nutritious, with the addition of good quality olive oil, eggs, walnuts, yogurt, and olives. This recipe is lactose-free because I used a yogurt with added lactase in it. You may do as well with a regular yogurt. Cornbread can be quite dry; in this recipe however, it is not. You may store the bread for up to 5 days in the fridge, in a closed container. I adapted the recipe from here.

Ingredients: 

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

1. Add a pinch of salt and thyme to the egg whites and whisk with an electrical mixer until small peaks form. 

2. Add mineral water to the egg yolks and whisk with the electrical mixer. 

3. Add olive oil and yogurt, and continue mixing. 

4. Add cornmeal and raising agent, continue mixing. 

5. Add walnuts, thyme, salt, olives and mix with a spoon. 

6. Add the egg whites in batches to the mixture, and fold. - do not mix rigorously, but with the help of a spatula or a spoon, take from outside, and bring to the front. the mixture at the end do not have to be homogenous. 

7. Grease the tray with oil and sprinkle the nigella seeds.

8. Pour the batter into the tray and put into preheated oven. Cook for 40 minutes.