It’s a long weekend and we all  have a little more time to spend in the kitchen with our families – it’s an ideal opportunity for the men out there to bake bread for their loved ones since they are, whether we like it or not, far better bakers. Black pepper goes very well with almost anything but particularly so with prunes and this combination is really delicious but if you have a problem with prunes, substitute with any dried fruit of your choice. The recipe couldn’t be easier and it’s ideal for breakfast with loads of butter, jam, preserves or cheese. Brew some tea or switch on the percolator and it’ll be a woman’s day to remember.

Ingredients

• 650g strong white flour
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 450 ml tepid water
• 1 tbsp  black pepper, cracked
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 7g sachet instant dried yeast
• 400 g soft, dried prunes – pips removed

Method

• Preheat oven to 200 C
• Sift the flour and add the pepper, the salt and the yeast to mix well, add the olive oil and enough tepid  warm water to form a soft dough, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 15 minutes until  very smooth and elastic.
• Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, big enough to accommodate the bread when it rises – cover  with cling wrap or a plastic bag and leave in a warm place for about an hour until doubled in size.
• When  the dough has risen, knead it down again and add the prunes – push down the dough and knead them in properly .
• Shape the dough into an oval shape or whatever shape you like and put on a lightly floured baking sheet, slash the top of the loaf and dust  over a little flour.
• Allow it to rise again, uncovered in a warm plce, until it has risen again – about 20 – 30 minutes.
• Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until it is cooked – a skewer comes out clean or it sounds hollow when you tap it underneath