Clafoutis with olives and goat cheese

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 200 g olives, black, with stone
• 2 small goat cheeses (crottins), semi-dry, 60 g each
• 4 eggs
• 200 ml crème fraîche
• 200 ml milk
• 1 tbsp thyme, fresh
• pepper
• Fleur de Sel
• nutmeg
• Fat, for the shape

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 45 minutes

Any goat cheese can be used instead of crottins. If you must use dried thyme, use less. Pit the olives. Mash the goat cheese with a fork. Whisk the eggs, add the crème fraîche and milk, and gently fold in the crushed goat cheese. Season carefully, as the cheese already adds a lot of salt. Pour into a greased, shallow gratin dish (or 4 individual ramekins), top with the olives (they will sink slightly into the liquid mixture), and sprinkle with the thyme. Bake in the oven at 170°C (350°F) for about 30 minutes. The clafoutis shouldn’t overbrown; it’s ready when it just feels slightly wobbly when pressed with your finger and has the consistency of an omelet. Don’t try to bake it “solid,” as this will dry it out. Serves 4 as a starter with some salad, or 2 as a main course with some baguette and salad. A variation for a buffet or as an appetizer is to bake the batter in muffin cups lined with strips of briquette dough.