Ingredients

Step by step

1. Whisk the flour, yeast and fine sea salt together in a large bowl. Gradually mix in 300ml lukewarm water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil using a fork until you have a shaggy dough. Tip onto your kitchen surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic (or for 5 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook). Dust the surface lightly with flour if the dough starts to get sticky. Transfer to a well-oiled large bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

2. Briefly knead the dough to knock it back. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 20cm x 25cm baking tin. Add the dough and gently stretch into the corners of the tin. Rest the dough for 30 minutes under oiled clingfilm, until puffed up. Using your fingers, make deep dimples in the dough then cover again and leave to rise for a further 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6.

3. Decorate with the veg to create ‘flowers’: halve a garlic bulb, halve the cherry tomatoes and slice your red onion to create the ‘flowers’ for your design, using halved black olives for the centre of the flowers and a mix of asparagus and thyme as stalks. Generously brush everything with olive oil to prevent burning, then scatter with sea salt flakes. Sprinkle the nigella seeds at the bottom to look like soil.

4. Bake for 15 minutes then turn the tin around and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until the bread is crisp and golden brown. Cool for at least 15 minutes before adding more fresh soft herbs and salad leaves to look like fresh foliage. Serve.