By Sharon Hearne Smith

Food Stylist & Writer

More from
Today

Sharon Hearne Smith’s Sesame Seed Porridge Bread from Today with Maura and Dáithí.

Ingredients

This is an unusual bread recipe, based on porridge oats and yoghurt instead of flour and water. It is quick, easy and virtually foolproof to make.

Use any selection of seeds you prefer instead of sesame seeds, or omit them altogether for a plain bread. Alternatively, add other flavours like nuts and dried fruits or sundried tomatoes and basil or a swirl of pesto would be delicious too. This bread stays quite moist and fresh for a few days stored in an airtight container.

Makes: 1 loaf (about 12 slices)

• Sunflower oil for greasing
• 500g tub natural yoghurt
• 100ml milk
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds + extra for sprinkling
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 x 500ml yoghurt tubs of porridge oats (or 400g)
• butter for serving, optional

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C), 400F, Gas Mark 6. Grease a 1Lb loaf tin (approximately 3 x 5 x 7 inch) with parchment paper and grease again.
2. Scoop the yoghurt into a large bowl. Add the milk, oil, sesame seeds and bicarbonate of soda and mix until well blended.
3. Fill a clean and dry yoghurt tub with oats and tip them in. Repeat with a second tub of oats. Alternatively, weigh out 400g of oats on a scales.
4. Mix everything together until well blended.
5. Spoon into the prepared tin, spreading the top level. Scatter a small handful of sesame seeds on top.
6. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean when pierced in the middle.
7. Remove from the tin and return the loaf to oven, directly on the shelf, for another 5 minutes to dry out the crust.
8. Remove and leave to cool on a wire rack. Cut into slices and serve spread with a little butter if liked.