Tomato 
Basil
Scones




Tomato Basil Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (½ stick) cold butter cut into slices 
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil (2 tsp. dried)
2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (1 tablespoon dried)
½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (¼ teaspoon dried and ground)
½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)
¾ cup crushed tomatoes 
garlic butter and Parmesan for topping (optional)

Preheat oven to 425° F. and lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch cake pan.  In a medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in herbs and sun-dried tomatoes until evenly distributed. Add crushed tomatoes and mix until dough forms into a ball. Knead gently for five or six strokes. Press dough into pan until spread evenly in pan. Using a bench knife or spatula, divide into 9 squares. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until browned and the scones are slightly firm to the touch. Allow to cool in pan for ten minutes before serving warm. If desired, brush with melted garlic butter and Parmesan cheese before serving.

Breadhead Backstory
As soon as there’s fresh basil in our kitchen garden, I want to make tomato dishes. The brethren gobbled up these savory scones the first time I served them. Try them smothered in Italian sausage gravy for breakfast. If you’re serving them with soup later in the day, by all means use the garlic butter and Parmesan topping. It may seem a bit odd to make scones in a square cake pan, but the dough is easier to manage that way and makes for neat and even servings. They are also modestly sized, in contrast to the giant wedges you see in some coffee shops. If you make it as a scored round on a baking sheet like traditional scones, reduce the baking time to about 20 minutes.

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