This dish warms the heart, taking the earth's hard work and delivering it in a familiar comfort food. This unassuming loaf - which uses four of the seven species: olives, grapes, wheat and figs - takes bread to a different level.
Serves: 8 -10
Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking: 50 minutes
Ingredients
350g self-raising flour
110g caster sugar
18g dry yeast
Pinch of salt
160ml tepid water
40ml olive oil
200g black seedless grapes
100g figs
80g walnuts
2 -3 sprigs of rosemary, needles picked and chopped
5 pickled vine leaves
Method
● Pre heat the oven to 180°C.
● Mix the flour, 80g of the sugar, the yeast and a little pinch of salt in a bowl.
● Add the tepid water and the olive oil, knead well until the dough is elastic which should take approximately 5 – 10 minutes.
● Place in a bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to sit until it has doubled in size – which should take about an hour.
● Knock back the dough and divide it into 2 pieces. Using the palm of your hand flatten loaves into rounds 24cm in diameter.
● Mix the remaining sugar, grapes, figs and walnuts with the rosemary in a bowl.
● Line a 24cm baking tray with the pickled vine leaves. Lay one flat disc of dough on top of the vine leaves, sprinkle over half of the grape mix and press it into the dough. Top with the second dough disc and sprinkle over the rest of the grape mix. Push it down into the dough.
● Set aside and cover with a tea towel. Let rise by half then bake for 40 to 50 minutes until risen and golden.
Chris Honor is the co-author with Laura Washburn of Big Flavours from a Small Kitchen, Mitchell Beazley
