Pumpkin and Parmesan Damper Recipe

I’m definitely a damper girl. I have spent most of my adult life cooking over an open fire in the bush, so dampers were always quicker to make than bread. When you have to feed a hungry family, the quicker you can make something, the better.

This pumpkin and parmesan damper recipe has only five ingredients and takes just 5 minutes from start to finish to put it into the oven.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of cooked mashed pumpkin

• 3 cups of good quality self-raising flour

• 125 grams of butter

• ½ cup of milk

• ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Preheat and oven to 220°C.

2. Rub butter into the flour and mix in the mashed pumpkin.

3. Mix slowly together without overworking the flour, as it will make your damper tough.

4. Once mixed, drizzle the milk in and work it all together until it starts to stick to your fingers.

5. Halve the mixture and lightly form it into a round loaf.

6. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle it with more cheese.

7. Place it on a lightly floured oven tray.

8. Cook in the hot oven for 30 minutes or until brown and springy on top.

Notes:

Make sure that you only use the best quality flour. It will reflect in the quality of your damper. This damper must be cooked as soon as it is made. I score the top so that it makes it easier to break apart later. It can be frozen but will stay fresh at room temperature for about 5 days. If it has been frozen then reheat it in a slow oven or slice it and put it into the toaster to warm it up. Serve it with lashings of butter. The mashed pumpkin can also be substituted with sweet potato or potato. You could also add mixed herbs, diced onion, sun-dried tomatoes, or fresh herbs such as chives to add extra flavour. Be creative and enjoy it.