Goats Cheese and Olive Bread

This ‘easy to make bread’ is delicious when served with a warming winter soup or in the summer with a crisp salad at a barbeque.

• 1lb of strong plain flour or a speciality bread flour, such as the onion flour I used.
• pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons of yeast
• 1 teaspoon of caster sugar
• 300ml of warm water
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• goats cheese
• olives or sundried tomatoes.

Add the flour, salt, yeast and caster sugar into a mixing bowl and if you are using a mixer use the dough hook attachment. Mix all the dried ingredients. Add the olive oil to the warm water and then slowly add to your mixture mixing all the time until you have a sticky dough.

Place the dough onto a floured surface and knead for at least 5 minutes and your hands are aching a bit! Put the kneaded dough into an oiled bowl and cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.

‘Knock back’ the dough gently and then put into an oiled oven proof dish. I prefer a wide dish similar to a sponge tin. Leave again for a while until it has risen a bit more then tear chunks of cheese and push them into the dough with olives or sundried tomatoes even sprigs of Rosemary if you prefer. Sprinkle some rock salt or seeds on the top and spray a few squirts of olive oil on the top then place in a pre heated oven at 150 degrees C until the bread has risen and is golden brown.

When you have taken the bread out of the oven it should be a nice colour and if you turn it over it will make a hollow sound when you tap it.