Crispy-shallot breadsticks with air-dried ham and apple chutney

makes 30-40

for the apple and onion chutney (makes about 600g)

500g apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped 2 onions, finely sliced 90g raisins 20g yellow mustard seeds 100ml wine or cider vinegar 90g tomatoes, chopped 120g caster sugar pinch of cayenne pepper ¾ tsp mixed spice pinch of ground cloves pinch of ground cinnamon zest and juice of 1 small orange

for the crispyshallot breadsticks

125ml sunflower oil 300g banana shallots, thinly sliced 150g plain flour, plus extra for dusting pinch of caster sugar 60ml milk ½ whole egg, beaten 20g butter, melted 15-20 slices of air-dried ham (I use Trealy Farm’s beechsmoked ham), sliced in half lengthways celery cress or edible flowers, to garnish (optional) Place all the chutney ingredients in a heavybased saucepan with a teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil. Stir until the sugar has dissolved then simmer for an hour until thick. Allow to cool. This can be stored in a sealed sterilised jar in the fridge until needed.

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Heat the oil in a deep pan and fry the sliced shallot in batches for 6-8 minutes until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon to kitchen paper. Cool.

Mix the flour and sugar with a pinch of salt and 40g of the crispy shallots in a food processor, until the shallot has been chopped up finely. Mix in the milk and egg until the mixture starts to resemble breadcrumbs, then add the butter and bring together to form a ball. Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge overnight.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a pound coin. Cut into ½ x 6cm rectangles to make 30 to 40 breadsticks. (You can freeze them at this point and cook from frozen – just give them a couple more minutes in the oven.)

Bake on a lined baking tray for 12 minutes until golden.

When cooled, wrap a piece of ham round one half of a breadstick, pressing the end so it sticks. Repeat with the rest of the breadsticks and ham and either add a blob of chutney to each or serve the chutney in a bowl for dipping. Garnish with the cress or flowers.