Sundried tomato bread recipe

Try this bread with a crisp leafy salad and some slices of Italian cured meats – and you've got a great casual meal for friends.

Ingredients

• 425g (15oz) wholesome white flour
• 1tsp salt
• 40g (11/2oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 50g(2oz) sundried tomatoes, chopped and drained from oil
• 3tbsp sundried tomato paste
• 2tbsp finely chopped oregano or rosemary plus a few extra sprigs
• 7g sachet easy bake yeast
• 325ml (11fl oz) warm water
• Several mini sprigs of fresh oregano or rosemary

Method

1. Put the flour, salt, Parmesan cheese, sundried tomatoes and paste into a large bowl. Add the chopped herbs and Allinson Easy Bake yeast, then pour in the warm water.
2. Mix together with your hands until the mixture combines to make a rough dough ball.
3. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and stretch and knead the dough for 10 mins until smooth and elastic.
4. Shape into a 23cm (9inch) round. Put into a greased 23cm (9inch) round tin. Press lots of indentations into the top of the bread with your finger. Scatter over a few extra herbs, drizzle with some of the olive oil from the sundried tomatoes and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
5. Cover loosely with cling flim. Leave in a warm place until doubled in size. (This will take about 30-40 mins.)
6. Preheat the oven to 220°C/ fan 200°C/ gas 7. Remove cling film from bread and reduce the oven temperature to 200°C/ fan 180°C/ gas.
7. Bake the bread for 35 mins until golden. To test to see if the loaf is ready, upturn and tap the base - it should sound hollow.