Bake up a storm with savoury snacks & lunches!

WE LOVE… BEER SODA BREAD // CHEESE MUFFINS // PEA & MINT SCOTCH EGGS

Serve with a homemade beer mustard

Strawberry & feta tart

By Love Fresh Berries (www.lovefreshberries.co.uk)

SERVES 6

375g (13oz) sheet puff pastry, defrosted if frozen, at room temperature

200g (7oz) reduced fat soft cheese 1 tbsp chives, snipped 2 tsp lemon thyme leaves or

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest 125g (4½oz) feta cheese, crumbled 125g (4½oz) strawberries, hulled and sliced drizzle of balsamic vinegar (optional) rocket leaves, to serve

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Unroll the pastry sheet onto a baking tray, keeping it on the paper from the pack. Score a line 2cm (¾in) from the edge down each side.

2 Combine the soft cheese, chives, the thyme or lemon zest and some pepper (the feta will add salt) and spread it over the pastry. Scatter over the feta and strawberries and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and puffed up.

3 Serve warm drizzled with balsamic, or top with rocket leaves and serve with a large salad.

Soft beer pretzel bites with red mustard

MAKES 25-30

For the pretzel bites

1 tbsp malt extract (or soft brown sugar) 1.6ltr (2½pts) water, plus 100ml

(3½fl oz) extra 2x 7g sachets fast-action dried yeast

160ml (5½fl oz) Hefeweizen, at room temperature

500g (1lb 1oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tsp sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling on top

6 tbsp (80g) butter 3 tbsp bicarbonate of soda

For the beer mustard

100g (3½oz) mustard seeds (a mix of yellow and black is good)

100ml (3½fl oz) beer (I like

Pilsner or Wheat Beer)

50ml (2fl oz) cider vinegar

1 tsp white sugar (or malt extract or honey) sea salt and black pepper

1 To make the pretzels, mix the malt extract, 100ml (3½fl oz) of warm water, and the yeast in a jug. Leave for 5 minutes, then add the beer and leave for a further 5 minutes – this is to activate the yeast.

2 Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, then use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3 Gradually add the liquid from the jug and combine into a dough. Knead the dough on a floured work surface for around 10 minutes, then roll into a ball, place in a large, flour-dusted bowl, cover with clingfilm, and leave to rest for 1-2 hours.

4 Knead for a further minute and then cut the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into long, fat sausages (about 2.5cm (1in) in diameter), then divide into roughly golf-ball sized bites. Place the bites on a tray and leave to rest for 30 minutes in a warm place, then for 30 minutes somewhere cold – the refrigerator is fine.