Red Pepper, Thyme and Paprika Bread

DIRECTIONS

• In a bowl, sprinkle the yeast on the water and whisk.
• Add 200g of the flour and stir until smooth.
• Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place for about an hour.
• Mix the rest of the flour with the salt.
• Roughly chop the thyme and mix with the pepper and paprika.
• After an hour the yeast mix will have expanded rapidly with bubbles all over the surface.
• Now, add the flour/salt mixture and the oil, adding water if necessary, until you have a sticky dough.
• Turn onto a floured surface and knead for a minute or so.
• Flatten out the dough a bit, scatter the pepper mix over the top, fold the dough in half and knead until the flavourings are distributed throughout.
• Shape into a ball and place in a warm oiled bowl, covered with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place to double in size.
• This could take up to an hour and a half.
• Preheat the oven to 210 degres C.
• Once risen, do not knock back the dough.
• Instead, carefully turn it on to a floured surface and shape into a rectangle about 2.
• 5cm high, then lift on to a greased oven tray and leave for 15-20 minutes to rise again.
• Bake at the top of the oven for 25 minutes, until crisp and golden.
• It's ready when it's light to lift and sounds hollow when tapped on the base.
• Cool on a wire rack.