I love sourdough bread. It does’t just taste great, it’s also so much better for our digestion. The thing is, I haven’t got around to making a sourdough culture, so when I saw this Co-operative ‘Loved by us’ Sourdough Bread Mix cheat’s version, I couldn’t resist.

A 500g packet, just enough for a 2lb loaf, costs about £1 so it was a cheap experiment and a pretty successful one. From packet to plate in less than two hours! It’s not quite the same as a traditionally made sourdough of course but it is a really tasty alternative.

Simply add 300ml of lukewarm water and 4 teaspoons of good olive oil to the flour mix and stir to form a ball of dough. Place on a floured surface and leave for 5 minutes, knead for 2 for 2 minutes and rest for another 5. Shape it into an oblong, place in a greased 2lb loaf tin. Make 3 slanted cuts in the top of the dough and powder with a little extra flour. Wrap in a plastic bag and leave in a warm place to double in size for about 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 230C and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool a little and then turn out on a rack to cool completely. Excellent for sandwiches and toast.