Measure the flour into a big bowl and make a well in it. Sprinkle the yeast into the well and cover it with the water. Let it sit for 15 minutes when a beige sludge will have appeared on top.

Add in all of the other ingredients and knead by hand for 15 minutes or until the dough is so stretchy you can see light through it when you stretch it thinly.

Pop it back in the bowl, cover it, and let it rest for 1-2 hours until it has doubled in size.

Gently take it out of the bowl and either shape it into two sausages and pop them into well greased bread tins or simply shape it into a cob (that's a big round loaf in Leicestershire!).

Let it rest again, covered, for 1 hour until it has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 200 C and bake for 45 minutes. When you tap the bottom of the loaf it should sound hollow.