Instructions: Small solid baking very well greased.

Preheat the oven to gas mark 5/375F/190C.

Sift the flour and salt into a large roomy bowl.

Put a grater in the bowl and coarsely grate the parsnips into the flour then toss them around.

Add the cubes of Parmesan and chopped sage and toss that in.

Lightly beat the eggs and milk together then add this to the bowl a little at a time mixing evenly with a palette knife.

What you should end up with is a rough rather loose sticky dough so dont worry what it looks like at this stage.

Transfer this to the baking sheet and pat it gently into a 15cm rough round then make a cross with the blunt side of a knife.

Scatter the Parmesan shavings over the surface followed by a sprinkling of flour. Spoon the olive oil into a dish dip each sage leaf in the oil and scatter them over the bread.

Now it should go into the oven on a high shelf to bake for 45 to 50 minutes by which time it will be golden and crusty.

It then needs to go on a wire rack their either serve it still warm or reheat it later.

I love to serve this with the Curried Parsnip and Apple Soup from the Winter Collection as it extends the parsnip flavour but its also good with tomato or any other soup or for a snack with crisp apples and celery and a soft ripe creamy cheese such as Brie Camembert or Dolcelatte.

makes 1 loaf to serve 4

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