I have four sad parsnips kicking about in the bottom of my fridge from two consecutive £1-veg-bags, so this is another ‘well what am I going to do with THAT?’ recipe off the cuff. Bread never stays around for long in my household, and it’s a good way of smuggling veg into the offspring!

Ingredients:*

250g plain flour, 11p (65p/1.5kg)
7g dried yeast, 11p (95p for 8 sachets)
25ml lemon juice, 6p (60p/250ml)
1 parsnip, 5p (part of a 1.25kg veg pack, £1)
Thyme, free (grows on my window ledge!)
20g Italian Hard Cheese, 23p (£2.30/200g)

How To:

1. Measure out 250g flour into a mixing bowl and add 7g of dried yeast.

2. Chop the top off the parsnip and finely grate into the flour and yeast.

3. Grate the Parmesan in (I used Italian Hard Cheese because it’s cheaper and to be honest I can’t tell the difference – but my wallet can!)

4. Add a fistful of thyme, chopped finely. Mix all dry ingredients together to combine, and use a fork to separate any clumps of parsnip.

5. Measure 25ml of lemon juice, and add boiling water to make up to 160ml of liquid.

6. Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture, and pour most of the liquid in. Mix in to form a sticky dough, adding the rest of the liquid if required.

7. Tip out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about ten minutes. (I’ve started preparing my bread last thing at night to take the frustrations of the day out on, which gives the double bonus of leaving it overnight to rise, for extra light and fluffy bread…)

8. Leave to rise for half an hour, with a tea towel over the top to keep the heat from the boiling water in.

9. When your half hour has passed, knock the air out of it, and pop into a lightly oiled or silicone 1lb loaf tin. Cover in clingfilm and leave to rise for at least another half an hour, or if you’re like me, overnight.

10. Score the top lightly. Cook for half an hour at 180C; it should be golden and crispy on top, lightweight and sound hollow on the bottom when tapped. Leave to cool, slice, and devour.

Spread with butter or equivalent, or serve with a fried or poached egg on top for brunch.