Sun-dried tomato and Parmesan bread

My wife (who is a bit pregnant wife with our 3rd child-3 weeks to go!) recently treated me to a night of home made tapas. I won't make you jealous with what we had but the day after the great feast we had some left overs. After making a few dishes my mind wondered off into bread making, shall I make something really 'out there' or stick to something people might actually like? Common sense prevailed so I decided on sun-dried tomato and Parmesan loaf. This recipe is very easy the only thing that you have to stick at is the kneading stage you must keep going for at least 10 minutes otherwise the final cooked loaf will be too stodgy.

Ingredients
(Makes enough for 4)
425g strong white bread flour
1 tsp salt
225 ml tepid water
Good sized pinch of dried oregano
40g finely grated Parmesan
50g chopped sun dried tomatoes drained
7g easy bake yeast

Method
Preheat your oven to 220 C then mix all the ingredients in a bowl (pouring in the water last) until it forms a rough dough. Tip out onto a floured surface and knead for at least 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.

Dough ball ready for kneading

Put the mixture into a greased oven proof bowl and poke it with a finger to make small indentations. Sprinkle with sea salt and brush with the oil left over from the tomatoes. Cover with clingfilm or a damp kitchen cloth and leave for 40 minutes in a warm place for it to double in size.

Ready for the oven

Bake the bread for round 30 minutes until it's golden brown. When you take it out of the oven tap the bottom of the bowl, if it sounds hollow then it's done.

Time to eat!

This bread is best eaten straight out of the oven but it will last for at least 4 days if stored correctly. Serve it with olive oil and balsamic or whatever takes your fancy. Enjoy!

Give it a try, you'll love it.