‘It is true that man does not live by bread alone; he must eat something with it’ – letter to Pellegrino Artusi, ‘Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well’, 1891

WHAT: A milky white crumb, studded with savoury Taleggio cheese. Soft, rich and too difficult to resist.

WHY: Who says good bread isn’t enough? When it’s covered with cheese and sweet tomatoes, it’s hard to find something more satisfying. Well, maybe not alone – some cold salted butter and a glass of wine wouldn’t go amiss.

HOW: 25 mins prep + 1.5 hrs rising time; 25 mins to bake

Equipment: 1 knife, 1 large mixing bowl, 1 wooden spoon, 1 fork, 1 heatproof jug, clingfilm/tea towel and 1 baking tray.

Shopping List (makes one medium loaf):

• 450g strong white flour
• ½ tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 sachet of fast action yeast
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 100ml warm milk
• 140ml warm water
• 1 egg
• 40g Taleggio cheese, cut into approximately 8 small cubes
• approximately 8 sunblush tomatoes
• sea salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220C.
2. Place the flour, mustard powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir well. Sprinkle in the sugar and yeast together, then stir again.
3. Pour in the olive oil and mix roughly with the fork. Quickly beat the milk, water and egg together. Make a well in the other ingredients, then pour in these liquids. Using your fork at first, start to combine everything in the bowl, then bring the dough together with your hands and tip out onto your work surface.
4. Knead the bread briskly until it forms a smooth (not sticky) dough. Place the dough back in the mixing bowl and cover with clingfilm or a damp towel. Allow the dough to rise for about an hour, until it is doubled in size.
5. Take the risen dough out of the bowl and knead it again for 5-10 minutes. Shape it into a neat round and place it on a greased baking tray. At regular intervals around the loaf, press your finger right down to the bottom and push a piece of Tallegio and sunblush tomato into the indent. When the tomatoes and cheese are all used up, lightly drizzle the surface of the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.
6. Leave the dough to rise again for about 45 minutes.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the loaf sounds hollow to tap.