Pancetta, Red Onion & Cheese Muffins – Recipe

Cheesy and smoky pancetta wholemeal muffins .. what’s not to like? Makes 12. Make sure you use really smoky bacon or pancetta and strong cheddar to make the most of the flavours.

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil

120g pancetta (or smoked bacon), diced

1 red onion, finely chopped

250g wholemeal self-raising flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

80g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

200ml buttermilk

1 tbsp chopped fresh chives

150g extra mature cheddar

Directions

Heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 and line a muffin tin with 12 paper cases.

Heat the oil over a medium heat and fry the pancetta or bacon until crispy. Set aside and drain on kitchen paper.

Using the residual fat, fry the onion until just soft (five minutes or so), then set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, butter and buttermilk and stir them into the flour mixture with a spatula until just combined.

Fold in the cooled bacon, onion, chives and 100g or so of the cheese until evenly distributed.

Spoon the muffin mixture into the tin and top with the remaining grated cheese.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the tops are golden and baked through.

Adapted from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall