Savory Mediterranean Biscuits

The trio of kalamata olives, feta cheese and sundried tomatoes really make these savory biscuits stand out. My mom clipped this from a magazine awhile back; I think it might've been Good Housekeeping. I love the flavor of these: buttery, cheesy, slightly salty, tangy, yum! I usually just eat them by themselves but I could see them being eaten alongside a spinach salad for a light dinner, or maybe alongside a lamb or chicken entree. If you like you can substitute dried oregano for the dried basil.

• Ready In: 22 mins
• Yields: 20 biscuits

Ingredients

• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1  teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 6  tablespoons butter or 6  tablespoons margarine
• 3⁄4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1⁄4 cup kalamata olive, pitted and chopped
• 3  tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and snipped
• 3⁄4 cup  light cream or 3⁄4 cup half-and-half
• 1  egg yolk
• 1  tablespoon  light cream or 1  tablespoon half-and-half
•  kalamata olive, whole (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the first five ingredients (flour through salt). Using a pastry blender, cut in butter or margarine until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Next, stir in the cheese, chopped olives, and tomatoes.
2. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and quickly pour 3/4 cup light cream or half and half over it. Stir with a fork until just moistened.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Quickly knead by gently folding and pressing the dough until it's almost smooth. This should take about 10-12 strokes. Be careful not to over-knead as the biscuits will get tough. The dough will still be pretty soft.
4. Lightly roll out dough into a 10-inch by 8-inch rectangle, about half an inch in thickness. Cut the dough into 2-inch squares.
5. Arrange biscuits 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. In a small bowl, beat egg yolk with the tablespoon of light cream or half and half, then brush the top of each biscuit with this mixture.
6. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until biscuits are golden. Remove from baking sheet and serve warm with whole Kalamata olives, if you like.