The Heart, Hands and Hair of an Italian Kitchen: Gnocchi di Patate, Pomodoro, Salvia e Sophia Loren

Your hand opens and closes and opens and closes.

If it were always a fist or always stretched open, you’d be paralyzed.

Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding,

the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated as bird wings.

Rumi

One of my most beautiful memories when I was getting married was when I was preparing for it. (You don't think the same way about cooking... but it is extremely important!).. and especially so when making gnocchi... these delicate little dumplings need the gentlest of preparation to make sure they stay light and fluffy... a little bit like being really delicate with the bride so she stays light and fluffy rather than bride-zilla-esk! If you're too heavy handed, these little dumplings will sink... to the bottom of the pan and your stomach! 

If you kneed too much, the dough will become sticky and needy (for more flour!) and you'll end up in a vicious cycle of a relationship with a dough ball that reminds you more of Oliver Twist scene played over and over again (needy, desperate, complicated, time consuming, sticky, heavy.... I realise I am being slightly unfair to the character... but you know the scene I mean) rather than Sophia Loren's hair (light fluffy, beautifully formed, independent and tantalising!). We are definitely going for the Sophia Loren's hair- looking- gnocchi dough. Desperation is not a good look!

Please see the demonstrative Delicate Parmesan Gnocchi's and their extreme resemblence to Sophia Loren's hair:

vs

They are one and the same, I know! ;)

Delicate Tips!

 My adaptations to the recipe as I find it the easiest way to remember that; we don't always have everything at hand, everything can be done slightly differently, and there are some things, that just can never be left out!

First comes first: Here is a master class in gently bringing the Gnocchi dough together. Concentrate on how he rolls the eggs and flour (just imagine there's parmesan and nutmeg in there too) together. Soft. Delicate.

- In my recipe, I have put parmesan and nutmeg.. it gives the gnocchi a delicious taste and texture.. 

- this recipe also works perfectly without these two ingredients... I will probably try and experiment and add another cheese when the parmesan finishes... but if it's not in the gnocchi, cheese can always go on top of the gnocchi!

- I have no access to a potato ricer, so I just use a fork... although it is very important to rice or fluff the potatoes when HOT... if you wait for them to cool down... its more difficult to get them fluffy.

- If you happen to make too much (I invariably, always do...) you can freeze what you haven't cooked.. first put them on a well floured plate or tray, and then put them in the freezer.. after 24 hours, you can remove them from the tray and store them in a plastic or paper bag in the freezer. 

- If you live somewhere like I do, and the electricity keeps on going off for long periods of time, gnocchi in a bag are going to stick together to make an interesting invention recipe for big dumplings (also delicious.. but different!) so... if your electricity cuts out regularly, either keep the gnocchi on a very well floured tray and flat in the freezer - or alternatively... eat them really quickly!!

- You can make two very simple traditional sauces with gnocchi.. Tomato and Garlic and Sage and Parmesan.. These are the heart of the Italian Kitchen. Must Haves. The recipes are listed below.


- With the tomato sauce the gnocchi will absorb the delicious flavours directly from the sauce instead of boiling first somewhere else. This also saves time... no need to boil water separately. Sometimes, I prepare the uncooked gnocchi on a floured plate, and the sauce is ready, covered in a pan. Then when it's 5 minutes before dinner time, I reheat the sauce, (making sure its still juicy otherwise just add a dash of water) and then throw in the gnocchi.. they cook in about  2 minutes... then serve! Easy Peasy and So Delicious!

- However, do not be afraid to experiment! I have seen gnocchi recipes with pumpkin, and all sorts.. and on a day when I feel like that extra bit of protein I have gnocchi with Tuna pasta sauce... (most italian's jaws drop at this point.... shock horror!) but I don't care.. gnocchi are delicious in so many ways... the important thing is that you enjoy them!

Gnocchi  di Patate <3

Feeds 4  (or two people twice ;))

500g potato peeled and cubed

50g Flour (plus extra for dusting)

50g Parmesan (Plus extra for serving and being delicious)

1 egg

Pinch of Nutmeg

Pinch of Salt

Directions:

1. Peel the potato, cut into 2cm cubes and boil for 10 minutes
2. When cooked through, strain the potatoes and use a fork (or ricer) to fluff and mash the potatoes (see Genaro's video) then leave the potatoes to cool by steaming (about 5-10 minutes)
3. Add the flour, salt, parmesan, nutmeg and finally the egg to the potato, gently with your hands, roll this into a dough and transfer from the plate onto a floured board 
4. Divide the dough ball into two, then four, and then finally eight balls using lots of flour to keep the dough balls from sticking to the board, and placing each ball aside
5. Take one of the eight balls and very gently roll it on the flour until it is a wide as your finger, then take your finger tip and make small impressions on the dough sausage - marking out each gnocchi piece. 
6. Then slice the gnocchi between the finger imprints and gently knock each piece away. When one ball is completely, place all the gnocchi pieces on a floured plate and complete this with the rest of the dough balls. 
7. Prepare the sauce. 
8. If you are making this with Tomato and Garlic sauce, cook the gnocchi directly in the sauce (once it is fully cooked) for two minutes. 
9. If you are making this with the sage sauce, prepare a pan of salted water and drop the gnocchi in the water for approximately 2 minutes (until they rise to the top of the pan), strain them, and then mix in with the sage sauce until browned (see full instructions in Sage Sauce recipe).
10. Serve! With Love! And Amazing Hair!

 Simple and Delicious Tomato Sauce - Pomodoro

Follow the gnocchi recipe, then when the gnocchi are ready to be cooked let them rest while you prepare this sauce (or the next one!)

Ingredients:

6-8 fresh tomatoes  
Olive Oil
2-3 Cloves Garlic, Crushed
Salt and Pepper
Bunch of fresh Basil
1 tsp Oregano and Mint (optional but delicious)
Dash Balsamic Vinegar (also optional giving the sauce an extra punch)
100ml water


- Cut the tomatoes into chunks and thrown into the frying pan with a large dash of delicious olive oil and garlic with a large pinch of salt, pepper, and a bunch of fresh basil (ideally fresh from the garden, but dry is also fine).. 

- Add a dash of Balsamic Vinegar

- When you see the tomato's producing water add half a cup or 100ml of water to the sauce, let it simmer for 2 minutes 
- Throw in the gnocchi with the tomato sauce... cook for 2 minutes and serve!

Simple and Delicious Sage and Butter Sauce - Salvia

- The other way to serve gnocchi is in a butter, sage and parmesan galore showdown. 

I haven't found fresh sage here yet (Although I am told that it does exist) I would say this way isn't worth it unless you have fresh sage. so.. 

Ingredients

6 tbsp Butter
10 fresh large sage leaves
Dash of Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper
Parmesan

- Boil the gnocchi for 2-3 minutes in salted water and remove when they float

- Heat 6 tbsp butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the butter is melted and beginning to bubble, add 10 leaves of sage (sliced or whole) 

- Continue to cook until the solid particles in the butter have browned lightly and the sage is crisp. 
- Add the cooked gnocchi, tossing to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce. 
- Allow the gnocchi to brown lightly in some spots, 
- Remove from heat, add a dash of lemon juice (if you have it), salt and black pepper to taste. 
- Sprinkle with parmesan (as much as your heart desires) and serve immediately!

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/03/potato-gnocchi-with-sage-brown-butter-sauce-recipe.html
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Gnocchi-101335
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRmPcaGAG0s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqxE5hBe7LA&src_vid=LRmPcaGAG0s&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_333954
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Gnocchi-101335
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/member-recipes/GNOCCHI%20DI%20PATATE/6981

My Divinely Crisp Jerk Chicken

'This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

some momentary awareness comes

as an unexpected visitor

Welcome and entertain them all!'

Rumi

'Were you cooking curry the other day?'

'No.. no.. curry..'

'Its just that there was this smell coming from your house..'

'Oh... you mean the jerk chicken!'

'Must Be! It Smelled So Good!'

'I'll send you round some of the extra marinade! It was Divine!' 

(It really was!)

Turns out my wonderful neighbour (yes, the same one that drops countless amounts of food at my door) may have been slightly disappointed the morning after I had guests when I sent round some baked hummus that I had extra of rather than whatever the amazing curry smell was. Truth is, all the delicious flavours were completely devoured and there was none left for sharing. So. I have decided to share this wonderful recipe. (And also given her the extra marinade)! 

Nigella was very forgiving in her write up, highlighting that hers could never come anywhere near close to meeting the requirements for real Jamaican Jerk Chicken... Which is fair to say, and more than ever my changes to this recipe (or thousands of recipe's that I found) have perhaps rendered it slightly unrecognisable to any Jamaican (you will see what I mean in a bit...) 

Its true, my garden is far too small to have this epic corregated metal barbecue, green woods that protect and add flavour to the chicken. I know what street Jerk Chicken Tastes like... and it is amazing. A feast for your tongue full of amazing sizzling flavours. I had to start finding recipes.... that eventually I had to adapt.

To my own surprise instead of regular English Roast Chicken (which is equally as delicious, but with honourable guests visiting, just wasn't exciting enough... in my head)... I found myself on the WikiHow page to Jerk?!?! Shock horror! How did that happen?

Anyway... turns out it had the simplest most straight forward recipe that I could use and also adapt as I found other recipes such as Nigella's version, or advice from Serious Eats, understanding that I could never get this perfect, and Jerk Chicken is probably akin to Tai Chi for the Chinese.. every family has their own recipe that comes down from a long line of secret ancestors that sacrificed their Warrior blood to keep the Truth hidden. 

I was lucky enough to have a housemate that regularly made Jerk Chicken (As well as many other friends), ... we can pretend these are my ancestors... though I never stuck around long enough to learn the recipe.. 

As an amateur this is the first time I am EVER using Allspice. I never knew it came from a berry! Kind of Epic for a novice ;)

So I thought, time to make my own :)

Are you ready?

Spicy Tips!

 My adaptations to the recipe as I find it the easiest way to remember that; we don't always have everything at hand, everything can be done slightly differently, and there are some things, that just can never be left out!

All of the recipe's indicated that this should be eaten with Rice and Peas.. and yet (shock horror again...) I am really not a fan of Rice and Peas.. or Kidney beans at the moment so... This wonderful dish was served with the Amazing Focaccia Bread, Freshly baked Hummus, Lebne, Yogurt, Beetroot Salad and a whole lotta love! (I had made some basmati rice just in case there wasn't enough food... but it was just right!) I have to say there was a bit of Italy, Turkey Jamaica, France, Germany either on the table or sat round the table... delicious! and what wonderful company! 

My Confession, that goes against all Jerk Chicken recipes has to do with this wonderful yellow (green or red) baby. Scotch Bonnet. 

I have a fear of it. And for my wonderful benefit, it doesn't grow anywhere near me, or is sold anywhere near here.. so I had to go to the next best thing - Cayenne Pepper.. that I recognise and know how to distribute in food. One day, I will be able to use the Scotch Bonnet, just not right now!

- If you can Barbeque this recipe, the added smoky flavour will further bring this to life, but as I haven't done it myself on the BBQ, this recipe uses the traditional cooking instructions for a perfect Roast Chicken.. the meat turns out tender and crispy.. YUM!

- The Longer you Marinate this baby for, the better! I did mine for 5 hours, some say overnight. 

- This Marinade can be kept in your fridge for a Long time, so if you don't use it all (I didn't use all of mine), you can put it in a container and keep it there until the next time (or give it to your neighbour!)

- I had to warn my guests that the chicken does in fact look burnt! But isnt... (The Dervish has now finally gotten used to my experiments such as the Burning Sweet Heart Apple Cake) so he chuckled nervously infront of our guests... only to end up with a stomach later for having devoured too much!

- I also added Worcester Sauce to this recipe - remembering how, when in Mexico, they would add this t

o the meat to give it a delicious sweet tang YUM. However, I would say that it is optional.

- I would recommend letting yourself be flexible with this recipe... if you like more ginger... go for it! If you cant stand chilli, or want more, then go ahead! Why not! It will turn out delicious anyhow... believe me!

- Some recipe's called for ground cloves (which I completely agree will add delicious flavour to this) so I have added it on the ingredients list.. but again is optional.. and I cant vouch for how it tastes!

- Some recommend using chicken breast for this recipe... I perhaps would vouch more for wings, thighs legs etc... however, I am sure than any, or a mix of these would also be fine.

- Used an invented combination of Jamie's Method amongst others for roasting the Perfect Chicken to get the meat just right... other ways are BBQ, grilling (if you dont have an oven or a grill, my neighbour is trying out in a frying pan....) but I have to say, Jamie's temperature and timing was almost spot on even though I was making wings and thighs instead of a full chicken. I combined this with an idea to lock up all the juices in tin Foil and then open it up to crisp on the outer shell for the second bit... This worked a treat and I will be using it over and over again...

- Serve with lemons or lime to add some tang!

Divinely Crisp Jerk Chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Ground Allspice (Pimento berry)

1/2 Cup+ Brown Sugar

6-8 Crushed Garlic Cloves

2-3 Scotch Bonnet Peppers (I replaced this with a comfortable amount of Cayenne Pepper - 1/2 tsp)

2 Onions (or 2 bunches of green onions)
2 tbsp Thyme Leaves

2 tsp Cinammon

1 tsp Nutmeg

2 tsp Ginger

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 tbsp Soy Sauce to Moisten

2 tbsp Worcester Sauce

2-4 Cloves (optional)
4 tbsp Olive oil or Butter
2 cups of chicken stock
Lemons to garnish and serve

1 kg of Chicken Wigs, thighs and legs

Method:

1. Place the allspice, brown sugar, garlic, pepper, thyme, onion, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, salt and pepper, soy sauce and Worcester Sauce, Olive Oil or butter in a food processor and pulse until smooth. 
2. Rub the chicken (this can also be used with beef, tuna or Salmon) with the marinade. Make sure you rub under the skin and in the cavities. 
3.  Marinate between 2 hours and overnight.. the more the better
4. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 8, while preparing your other bits (I was busy with the focaccia, hummus, etc) .. I would say roughly for around 15 minutes
5. Put tin foil on the underside of a deep baking tray making sure that there is at least 1 inch of foil covering each edge.
6. Place the chicken on the foil, and pour the steaming stock around it.
7. Cover the chicken with more foil, this time folding the foil together, creating an air tight vacuum for the chicken to cook in
8. Place the chicken in the oven and reduce to Gas Mark 7 for 1 hour, 
9. After an hour, take foil off the chicken, and baste it
10. Put the chicken back in the oven uncovered and bake for a further 35 minutes until crispy
11. Transfer the chicken onto a serving plate and devour!

Yum!

Remember to serve it with Love!

The Chickpea and the Cook

'A Chickpea leaps almost over the rim of the pot where it's being boiled.''Why are you doing this to me?''

The cook knocks him down with the ladle.''Dont you try to jump out.You think I'm torturing you.I'm giving you flavour''

Rumi

Everyone knows there are a thousand ways to make hummus... liquid, stiff, garlicy, lemony, Tescos released their sweet chilli's all over the hummus rack (I confess, I love it), some even make avocado hummus (I'm sorry, I find it repulsive). There are even a thousand ways to spell hummus... so trying to find the 'Perfect houmous/ hummus/hummous/hommos ... recipe' is quite a challenge! Especially considering everyone thinks their's is the best... But I have found it. The best. Ever. Oven Baked Hummus... 

Are you Ready? 

Unbaked Hummus

You see, I guess it's through getting to know chickpeas that I am learning to respect the age old way of doing things. Fast living tins of Chickpea's don't exist here in the wilderness... you can only find the dried out ones... I could feel a fire inside me wanting to make the quickest most delicious chickpea hummus the world has ever known, and could remember Jamie Oliver's recipe with yoghurt.. yes yoghurt... and how everyone was puzzled and amazed when I told them that secret ingredient..

For some reason, I haven't been able to find that recipe online anywhere... (I just checked again.. and it is nowhere!) I remember something along the lines of 1 tin of chickpeas, 1 tbsp Tahini, 3 tbsp Greek Yoghurt, Salt, Lemon and Garlic to taste. All very easy, and as it turns out my secret ingredient, is now no longer secret... There are whole articles comparing the goodness of yoghurt or no yoghurt in hummus. So I won't add anything further, other than mine is the best because, I made Homemade Greek Yoghurt and then added it! Yum...

Anyway, first time round.. I was still in city mode... lets get this done as quickly as possible... (pressure cooker, baking soda, more pressure cooker) as it turns out... the faster you try to cook chickpeas.. the worse it is for your digestion.. and actually, despite all of the tricks.. it makes no sense to make a quick hummus to then be excusing yourself from the table every two minutes...

What makes this recipe super special is that the hummus is baked in the oven... I have never known anyone to make it this way, yet it was very easy, filling and warming. I have to admit, that along with my recipe book, I had also lost the source of this divine hummus recipe and I was only able to salvage the recipe due to saving it on a recipe app I was using once..... which also cleverly saved the source! Here's to Ghillie Basan for the most delicious hummus recipe yet! Click here for the book!

Baking Hummus

Hot Housewife Tips!

My adaptations to the recipe as I find it the easiest way to remember that; we don't always have everything at hand, everything can be done slightly differently, and there are some things that just can never be left out!

I have now accepted (as the chickpea had to in Rumi's poem) that letting the chickpeas rest over night in water, (1 1/ inch extra water over the chickpeas) makes them softest, most delicious, and easier to digest. And when done properly the cooked chickpea is divine, and so is this hummus. 

After resting all night long, and washing away the water and the white stuff (I haven't bothered to work out what it is although I am quite sure it is unwanted) the next step is to boil the chickpeas... usually for 45 minutes in the pressure cooker on a low heat or for an hour and a half in a normal pot. For extra deliciousness add one or two bay leaves to the pot and some crushed garlic to let the chickpeas start to absorb the delicious flavours...

Chickpea conversion : Turns out... everyone has a different version! 

My version, in my climate, is 125g dried chickpeas = 1 tin of chickpeas (400g including water 240g without)

Some minor changes to the recipe: I always wait until the chickpeas, tahini and Greek yoghurt are fully mixed before adding any ingredients that might change the taste... I also only have a hand blender and it becomes quite dangerous blending each teaspoon in electrically!... I find hand mixing with a big spoon much safer, and easier option to stop and taste the garlic, lemon, salt , pepper, etc and bring the hummus to the perfect flavour.

The rest is super easy, super fast, super delicious, super yum! Enjoy!

The Hottest Hummus Around... Smokin!

Flash Frying the Chickpeas in Olive Oil and Paprika

Serves 4-6 

2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed  (250g dried Chickpeas)

2tsp Cumin Seeds (I used ground Cumin as I did not have these to hand)

4 Cloves of Garlic Crushed

4 tbsp Olive Oil

Freshly Squeezed Juice of two Lemons

2 tbsp Tahini

6 tbsp thick creamy Greek Yoghurt (Homemade if possible!)

Salt and Black Pepper

2-3 tbsp Chickpeas to Garnish (or some Pine Nuts)

2 Bay leaves for soaking, and one extra Clove of Garlic
Paprika/Parsley/Corriander/Cumin to Garnish

Directions

If you have dried chickpeas start here:

1. Put 250g Chickpeas in a bowl and cover with 1 1/2 inch water, leave to rest overnight

2. In the morning, put the chickpeas, Bay leaves and 1 crushed garlic in a pan. For every cup of chickpeas, add 1 cup of water. Boil for 1 1/2 hours in a normal pan, or for 45 minutes in a pressure cooker on full heat until chickpeas are tender

If you have tinned chickpeas start here:

3. Preheat the oven to 200c/400f/Gas Mark 6

4. Blend Chickpeas in an electric blender

5. Add Cumin/Cumin Seeds and Olive Oil to the Chickpeas until its a thick paste

6. Add the Tahini and continue blending until the paste is very thick and smooth

7. Add the yoghurt and blend further until the mixture has loosened a little and it has a creamy texture

8. Season to taste with Garlic, Lemon Salt, Pepper

9. Tip the mixture into an oven proof dish (I like terracotta)

10. Take a handful of unwhizzed Chickpeas (or Pine Nuts) and flash fry in butter

11. Pour the chickpeas and butter over the hummus and pop into the pre-heated oven for around 25 minutes, you will notice the hummus rising in the oven
12. Garnish further (optional) with a selection of: Paprika, Cumin, Parsely, Corriander

12. Serve immediately with warm bread, olive oil, olives and lots of love! (Love is essential!)

My Bread and Butter

'From the hundreds of times I lost 

the connection, I learn this;

your fragrance brings me back'

Rumi

Easy to make and bake.. this bread is delicious, fluffy and perfect for toast, sandwiches and smothering on jam and butter 

The smell of baking bread gets me all exited! I cant deny it. I have been referred to as Kung Fu Panda on many occasions! My love of food and spirituality somehow go hand in hand. I mean, when I imagine a mystic, sitting there in meditation, connecting to the Divine, in complete peace... the dude has a little tummy... :) 

The smell of fresh bread baking in the morning, is often associated in my mind with a Turkish Supermarket that was at the top of my road. Delicious, soft, fresh. Yum! In more modern households, an electric breadmaker is one of best friend if you can work out how to time it appropriately :) However, I have been granted the time to make my bread by hand.

Unfortunately, in modern society bread has been vilified as the root of all evil, the reason that all women have that little tummy I was talking about, the reason we overeat, we're overweight, its a trigger food, it causes bloating, allergic reations and this whole list of unwanteds... Its no wonder that Boots stacks their lunch time shelves with the stuff... and that children take it to school every day filled with their favourite jams and cheeses...

I have always found the best trick is to have a balance; leave the bread next to my husband's plate so that he enjoys as much of it as he likes, and I use a little, at the end of my meal to clean my plate, take a jam and smother it!

Despite my absolute love for bread, and brown bread more specifically, my recent research (which unfortunately I have no link for here, although makes complete theoretical sense) is that brown bread - despite the myths of it being extremely healthy, may actually be worse for you than white bread - unless it is organic.

Due to chemicals and pesticides being sprayed on the wheat when it is growing on non-organic bread, the pesticides and chemicals are stored, nicely in the outer shell, the fibre, the bit that makes brown bread brown. And then you eat it. Not good!

Unfortunately at present I do not have the luxury of ordering my organic multi-seed brown bread straight to my house.. and I also do not have access to organic brown wheat and flour... but very fortunately, I do have time, an oven, easy access to white flour and enthusiasm to start making my own home made white bread :)

I found this recipe on the BBC Good Food Website, which I have found extremely helpful in last minute crises! It also has a great number of readers, so working out the very best kind of bread to make is easy due to the ratings! It is worth me saying at this point that I absolutely refuse to post anything that I don't consider to have a five star rating... my mouth cannot lie! 

Tips!

My adaptations to the recipe as I find it the easiest way to remember that; we don't always have everything at hand, everything can be done slightly differently, and there are some things, that just can never be left out!

- I chose this recipe because of how easy it is!

- As an Italian... (and also because I copied Jamie Oliver and realised how easy it was...) when I make dough, I make it on an Italian dough board...even in this vast no-man's land where I live, there is still an IKEA within 2 hours selling these badboys for about 12 Euros... so there is no excuse! (I protected mine with 1 cup 1/3 vinegar 2/3 Olive oil and rubbed into the board all over.... instead of buying a chemical alternative that is more likely to give me stomach ulcers than protect my wood... the vinegar smell goes about 1 hour later)

- The flour should be heaped on the board, and a small hole in the middle where the ingredients are scattered i.e. salt and yeast... try and spread them evenly...

- Luke warm or almost hot water is pretty essential to get the yeast working properly... do not underestimate this!

- This bread is light and fluffy, and despite the heat, doesnt go dry quickly - I have been storing mine outside of the fridge for almost three days now, and it still tastes delicious!

Happy cooking!

My Bread and Butter Recipe!

Ingredients

• 500g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp salt
• 7g sachet fast-action yeast
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 300ml water

Method

1. Mix the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl or on an Italian board. 
2. Make a well in the centre, then add the oil and water, and mix well. If the dough seems a little stiff, add 1-2 tbsp water, mix well then tip onto a lightly floured work surface and knead. 
3. Once the dough is satin-smooth, place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Leave to rise for 1 hour until doubled in size or place in the fridge overnight.
4. Line a baking tray (I used a loaf tin) with baking parchment. Knock back the dough, then gently mould the dough into the desired shape (my was a rectangle).  
5. Place it in the tin to rise for a further hour until doubled in size.
   
6. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Dust the loaf with flour and cut a cross about 6cm long into the top of the loaf with a sharp knife. 
   
7. Bake for 25-30 mins until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath. 
8. Cool on a wire rack. and then Eat with Butter!

Delicious!