Focaccia

This is the easiest focaccia topping and very tasty. Peel and finely chop 1 clove of garlic and a good bunch of fresh basil. Add roughly three times as much olive oil as you have of the basil mixture, a squeeze of lemon juice, some sea salt, black pepper and sometimes a crushed dried red chilli – gives nice warmth!

Wash about 15 new potatoes and slice as thinly as possible. Put into boiling salted (or minty) water for 2 minutes. Drain, place in a bowl, and coat with a generous amount of your best olive oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper, then add 1 peeled, finely chopped clove of garlic and a handful of chopped fresh rosemary leaves. Spread and push the mixture all over the bread. Flick some extra rosemary on top before baking, for a really rustic look.

I’m a real fried onion boy myself! This topping is tasty, light and fragrant.

Peel and halve, from the core to the top, 3 average-sized red onions (or about 6 shallots), then slice as thinly as you can. Heat a frying pan with a good lug of olive oil. Add 1 peeled, finely sliced clove of garlic, a good handful of fresh thyme leaves, and the onions. Add a pinch of sea salt and fry fast, keeping it on the move, for 4 minutes (the idea is to cook fast and caramelize the onions, but not to over-colour or burn them).

Next, add about 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and simmer for a further 4 minutes. Add some salt and black pepper and a little extra virgin olive oil, spread everything over your bread, then throw some extra thyme leaves over it. Looks great!