Meet internationally acclaimed baker, author of three titles and inspirational teacher extraordinaire, Emmanuel Hadjiandreou. Wealden Times visited The Crown in Hastings where the floury magic happens on a daily basis, picked up a few age-old skills and came away with a couple of recipes

1. In a smaller mixing bowl, combine the white flour and salt together to create a dry mix. Set aside.
2. Grate the beetroot on the course setting and place in a small bowl.
3. In a big mixing bowl, dissolve or break up the sourdough into small pieces in the water.
4. Mix the flour (dry) mixture into the wet mixture and combine by hand until it comes together, then add the grated beetroot and thoroughly mix in.
5. Put half of the olive oil in the other big mixing bowl.
6. Place the sticky dough into the olive oil, allow to rest for 15 minutes, making sure it is covered with the small bowl that had the flour in it.
7. After 15 minutes fold the dough lightly twice and cover with the small bowl.
8. Repeat the process another three times with 15 minutes rest in between, adding some olive oil, so that the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the bowl. Remember to cover the mixture between folds.
9. Allow to rest for 1 hour.
10. Remove from the bowl, using a light sprinkling of white flour so the dough does not stick. Shape into a ball.
11. Shape the loaves into proving baskets that have been floured, or a greased tin.
12. Allow to prove for around 3-6 hours or until the dough is double in size.
13. Pre heat the oven to 250C / 500F / Gas 9 on a fan setting with a deep tray at the bottom.
14. Once the bread is ready for baking, turn it out of the proving basket onto a floured peel and slash the loaf with a very sharp serrated knife.
15. Place the loaf in the oven.
16. Add a cup of tap water on the hot bottom tray to form steam, lower the oven to 220C / 425F / Gas 7.
17. If the loaf is in a bread tin, follow steps 15 and 16, remembering to slash the top of the loaf with a sharp serrated knife before placing in the oven.
18. Bake for around 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
19. The loaf will be baked when a hollow sound be can heard when it’s tapped on the bottom.
20. Turn out of its shape and allow the loaf to cool on a wire rack.

Equipment:

• 2 large mixing bowls (+/- 2l capacity)
• 2 small mixing bowls (+/- 1l capacity)
• 1 grater with a course setting
• 1 pastry brush
• 1 loaf tin (500g capacity)
• 1 proving basket (500g capacity)
• 1 roasting tray
• 1 small peel (for loading the loaf into the oven)