Basic bread rolls - recipe courtesy of Grant Hawthorne, Head Chef, The Plough Wavendon

Whilst more and more people are getting into the whole cooking scenario, there is one thing to guarantee a house full of hungry people on a Sunday morning – the smell of freshly baked bread.

Not only is it cathartic and sensual making your own bread, but also with a decent sense of adventure you can turn a somewhat mundane task into a work of heavenly bliss for your palate.

A great icebreaker at any dinner party is to have the freshly baked bread on the table and for your guests to break bread with you.

There’s something incredibly intimate about this – as though you’re connecting on a different level. It also allows you greater flexibility for getting your starters out, as everyone will be happily munching away on your bread.
Ingredients
▪ 375g Strong white bread flour

▪ 10g Castor sugar
▪ 15g Maldon salt
▪ 20g Chopped basil
▪ 30ml Olive oil

▪ 25g Wet yeast (or 1x7g dried yeast)
▪ 210ml Warm water
Method
▪ Add the yeast to the water and allow reaction (approximately 10minutes). Sieve flour and sugar into an electric mixing bowl. Add the salt and chopped basil.
▪ Mix on low setting until ingredients are spread throughout. Add the olive oil.  Slowly incorporate the water mixture and mix until it pulls away from the bowl.
▪ Turn out onto a floured surface and gently knead for a minute. Return to the greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Leave in a warm area to prove for approximately 30 minutes.
▪ Divide mixture into 4 equal portions and shape.
▪ (Optional: Add any ingredients e.g. Sun dried tomato, olives, cheese etc. into the bread and fold in. Note: onion or mushrooms should be cooked beforehand and not mixed in raw).
▪ Allow resting on a baking sheet and moistening with a water spritzer at regular intervals. Allow proving for a further 15 minutes.
▪ Sprinkle some rock salt on top and place in a pre-heated (220c) oven for 6 minutes (to colour).
▪ Reduce temperature to 160c and bake for a further 30-35 minutes. (Test whether there is a hollow sound to the bread when you gently tap the base. This will indicate that it’s cooked through.)
▪ Remove from oven and allow cooling. Serve warm with infused olive oil or butter.

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