swEEts by e: Asiago and Rosemary Scones

While Mountain Man is still out doing adventurous things in the woods of Maine and New Hampshire, I decided to have some of our friends over for brunch before heading to a local art festival.

I always have a hard time deciding what to make.. there are just so many choices for a brunch menu! I knew I was going to be making a frittata (sausage, peppers and goat cheese) but I wanted something to go along with it.. something baked of course. I thought about muffins, scones, finally trying out a pastry, maybe a banana bread? But nothing popped..

Then, as I was browsing the grocery isles, I saw it.. Asiago cheese with Rosemary and Olive Oil.. what a perfect ingredient for a savory scone! This is when I love the fact we had to move MM's entire herb garden with us across country in the back of a U-Haul...

In addition to these savory scones I also made something sweet, but I'll save that for a later post mostly because they're still in the oven as I write this.

Asiago and Rosemary Scones
adapted from The Craft of Baking
Oven: 375 Bake time: 20 min
Makes 8 large scones or 12 mini

1 3/4 cup AP flour, plus more for rolling
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 TBS and 1/2 tsp baking powder
6 TBS chilled butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup grated cheese
1 TBS fresh rosemary, finely chopped or 1/2 TBS dried rosemary
1 cup buttermilk

2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp dried rosemary

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.

Add chopped butter and place bowl in freezer for 5 minutes.

Using paddle attachment (or two knives if you don't have a mixer) beat until butter gets incorporated into dry ingredients and crumbly consistency is reached.
Add cheese and rosemary, mix until combined.

I was going to add basil, but decided against after I took this pic.

Slowly add buttermilk and continue to mix until dough starts to come together.

Turn dough out on floured surface and knead for a few more minutes.

Shape dough into a large circle (about 7 inches) and using a knife cut 8 or 12 slices like a pie.
Place slices on baking sheet or baking stone if you have one.
Cover with saran wrap and place in freezer for 10 minutes.
While the scones are chilling, preheat oven to 375.
Brush chilled scones with olive oil and sprinkle rosemary on top of each.