Manchego and Caramelised onion Bread

makes 1 big loaf!

1kg strong (0.0) white flour
15g fast acting yeast
600ml tepid water
2tbsp sugar
2 level tbsp salt

1 onion

olive oil

250g Manchego cheese

1. Make a little hill out of the flour and make a large well in the centre. pour in half the water, then add the yeast, sugar and salt. Stir with a fork.

2. Continue to bring flour in from the surrounding walls whilst adding more water... until you have a thick, porridge-like consistency.

3. Now with the little remaining flour on your hands and the surface of the mixture; bring the mixture together and start kneeding:-

stretch the dough and fold half into the centre, then turn through 90º and repeat... for 10 minutes. You should have a silky and elastic dough.

4. Place the dough in a big bowl and flour the surface. Cover and leave to prove for about an hour... until doubled in size. Warm, moist environments are best. I sometimes turn my oven into a proving oven by:-

putting the oven on its lowest setting for 10 minutes, then turning it off and pouring a small cup of water onto a lower oven tray ( the bowl goes on a higher rack).

5. While you are waiting, caramelise the onions in a pan with a little olive oil. when they are a lovely golden brown, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

6. Once the dough has doubled in size, it's time to 'knock it back' - I do this by folding in the cooled caramelised onions and manchego cheese. Shape your dough and cut whatever pattern you want into the surface., place on an oven-sheet lined baking tray.

7. flour the surface and loosly cover with film. Leave to prove again until doubled in size for about an hour.

8. 30 minutes into the second prove, light the oven and set to 180ºC.

9. Carefully remove the film and carefully slide the tray into the pre-heated oven... don't slam the oven door!

10. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until it is golden brown and when tapped on the bottom - sounds hollow.

11. Then leave to cool on a rack until you can safely cut and butter a slice!