Roasted Red Pepper & Feta Skillet Scones

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I love everything in these scones so it wasn't a matter of if I would make them, but when.  

I find that people often say they don't like scones, but that usually means they have only had ones that are dry and crumbly.  Done right, scones are wonderful.  The trick is to not overwork the dough.  Be gentle when combining the ingredients and when patting them out and your scones will be tender and delicious.

Savory scones have recently become a favorite of mine and these are now at the top of the list. Throw roasted red peppers in just about anything and I'm happy.  I also love feta for it's tangy flavor.  The peppers, feta, and basil work great together great here but this recipe could be a base for your favorite flavors.  

They are simple to make and simply lovely to eat. 

Roasted Red Pepper & Feta Skillet Scones
adapted from Joy the Baker

Olive Oil
4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 large egg, beaten
1 3/4 cup buttermilk, cold
1 cup coarsely chopped roasted red peppers, drained
1/2 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425° degrees.  Grease a 9 to 10" cast iron skillet with olive oil.  (You can use a greased cake pan if you don't have a cast iron skillet.)

In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.

Add the cold butter, and using your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is combined and most of it is the size of peas.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk.  Add mixture to dry ingredients all at once.  Stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is moistened with the buttermilk mixture.  Do not over mix.  Just before the wet and dry ingredients are entirely incorporated, add the peppers, feta cheese, basil, and black pepper.  Stir just a little and then dump the mixture onto a lightly floured board.  Gently knead with your hands, adding a little more flour if the mixture is too moist.  This is a shaggy dough and it will not be smooth.  Over working the dough will result in dry, tough scones.  

Add dough to prepared skillet and gently spread it to cover the entire skillet.  Use a knife to mark an X into the surface of the dough.  

Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Check after 30 minutes as you don't want to over bake.  Let bread rest in pan for ten minutes and serve warm.  These scones are best served warm and on the same day they were made.