Masala potato pu s & jal jeera (spiced lemonade), p14

These recipes are a taste of the flavours of my childhood. Born and raised in India, we’d pick up puffs like these from our local bakery for family outings. I love how effortless they are, but they still pack in so much flavour. They can be totally made ahead and they’re easy to pack, making them perfect for a picnic. No al fresco eating occasion would be complete without jal jeera, either – a popular nonalcoholic summer drink in India. It’s refreshing and simple to put together. The sweet and tangy flavours pair extremely well with pretty much anything and everything.

You can make this without the olives, tomatoes and feta for a very reliable plain focaccia – great for making a big muffuletta-style sandwich to take to a picnic.

SERVES 8 PREP 30 mins plus 1 hr 35 mins proving COOK 30 mins EASY V

500g strong bread lour, plus extra

for dusting

7g sachet fast-action dried yeast 5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the tin 200g cherry tomatoes, halved

(a mixture of colours looks nice) small bunch of oregano, leaves

picked, or use 1 tsp dried oregano 150g kalamata olives, pitted 100g feta, crumbled

Tip the flour into a large bowl with the yeast and 2 tsp salt, and mix together. Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil, then slowly pour in 350ml lukewarm water, continuing to mix until you have a slightly sticky dough. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, scraping around the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5-10 mins until the dough is soft and less sticky, then put in a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 1 hr until doubled in size.

Generously oil a shallow rectangular baking tin (ours was 20 x 30cm). Tip in the dough, then use your hands to stretch it out until it reaches the corners of the tin. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove for a further 35-45 mins. Meanwhile, tip the tomatoes into a bowl, season, add the oregano and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Toss together and set aside.

Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. Press the tomato halves evenly into the into the dough, then do the same with the olives. Crumble over the feta, then lightly press everything down again using your fingertips. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and scatter with sea salt, then bake for 25-30 mins until deep golden and pu…ed up. While the bread is still hot, drizzle over the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Leave to cool completely in the tin, then slice. You can wrap it in the tin to take on a picnic, or wrap individual squares. Will keep wrapped, or in an airtight container, for up to two days.

PER SERVING 366 kcals • fat 14g • saturates 4g • carbs 49g • sugars 2g • ibre 3g • protein 11g • salt 2.2g

ABOUT BARNEY Barney is Good Food’s skills & shows editor. He has worked as a chef in London, France and Australia, and has led our popular online workshops in making bread.

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