Sage and onion twists recipe by Benjamina Ebuehi

Fresh sage is one of my favourite herbs, but it often gets relegated to the Christmas stuffing. These bread twists are incredibly moreish and make for a perfect pre-party snack.

Makes 12-15
olive oil 50ml
red onion 1, finely chopped
bread flour 400g
fresh sage 2½ tbsp, finely chopped
black pepper ½ tsp
fast action dried yeast 1 sachet (7g)
salt 1 tsp
lukewarm water 200ml
sesame seeds 1 tbsp

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan and fry the onion over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until softened. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, fresh sage, black pepper, yeast and salt. Make a well in the centre, pour in the water and the remaining olive oil and stir to make a shaggy dough.

Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover and let the dough rise for 1½-2 hours or until doubled in size.

Once risen, turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and use your fingertips to flatten into a rough rectangle. Pour the cooled onions on to the surface and press them into the dough. Give the dough a brief knead to incorporate all the onions – this part will be a little messy and if any onions fall out just knead them back in.

Heat the oven to 180C fan/gas mark 6. Let the dough rest on the work surface for 10 minutes before dusting a rolling pin with flour and rolling the dough out into a large rectangle, about 25cm x 35cm.

Slice the dough into thin strips about 1cm wide, take two at a time and twist them around each other. Place each twist on a baking tray, brush with a little more olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and sesame seeds. Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Benjamina Ebuehi is the author of A Good Day to Bake: Simple Baking Recipes for Every Mood