Tearing bread

Serves 6

500g strong flour, plus extra for dusting 7g fast-action yeast 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 170ml warm water ½ red onion, peeled and finely sliced 150g tomato puree 1 tbsp pine nuts 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1 lemon butter, for greasing sea salt and black pepper

20 x 30cm rectangular oven tray

Place the flour and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and make a well in the middle with a spoon. Fill the well with the yeast. In a jug, combine the oil with the warm water. Pour the liquid into the well and stir with a wooden spoon in a figure of eight motion until the mixture forms a dough. Knead, by folding the dough into itself by hand, for 10 mins, adding extra flour if the dough becomes sticky. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl and cover tightly with oiled cling film and a tea towel. Leave in a warm place to prove to twice the size, which should take 1 hr. Knock the air out of the dough by striking it once using the fist. In the meantime, mix the red onion with the tomato puree in a bowl. Add the pine nuts and half the parsley. Zest in the lemon, then squeeze in the juice from half the lemon and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Grease the oven tray and roll the proved dough on a surface lightly dusted with flour to make a sausage shape approximately 45cm long. Cut into three equal strips lengthways, leaving them joined at one end. Brush the strips with the tomato mixture liberally, then plait the dough strips together. Placing one end in the middle of the oven tray, roll the long plait around itself tightly to make a flat circle. Add half the remaining tomato mixture using a teaspoon, making sure it gets into all the nooks of the bread. Cover loosely with a tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 20 mins. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Once proved, top the bread with the remaining tomato mixture, then drizzle with oil. Bake for 20 mins until browned. Garnish with the remaining parsley, and serve.