This made a yummy half-time snack during the All Blacks’ whipping of the Wallabies in the RWC semifinal (20-6)!

It comes from Alessandra Zecchini’s book Savour.

Dough
250 ml warm water
2 1/2 tsp active yeast granules
1/4 tsp sugar
500 g high-grade flour
pinch salt

Filling
1 med red onion
20 g butter
pinch salt
1 tsp Aceto Balsamic di Modena (aged 12 yrs, if you have it)
1 tsp sugar (to add if you are not using real balsamico)

Put warm water, yeast and sugar in large bowl, and set aside for 5 mins. When yeast starts to bubble, add the flour and salt and start kneading. This dough is a little dry so work patiently to make it elastic. Shape the dough in a ball, sprinkle with flour. Cut a cross-shaped incision on the top. Leave to rise in the bowl, covered with a damp teatowel, for about 2 hours.

Peel and finely chop the onion. Saute with pinch of salt, stirring constantly. Add the balsamic and stir. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Punch the dough and knead for 1 min. Flatten into an oval shape, then spread the cooked onion over half the dough. Fold over and seal by pinching the edges together. Place on a lined baking tray and leave to rise for 30 mins, then sprinkle with salt.

Bake in preheated oven at 250C with a pan of water placed at the bottom (to produce some steam) for about 25 mins. If after 15 mins it looks too brown on top, turn the loaf upside down.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few mins before wrapping it, while still warm, in a teatowel and placing it inside a plastic bag. It will soften further as it cools down. Or you can serve directly from the oven while the crust is crunchy.