Serves four

Ingredients

600g tomatoes (chopped into rough 1cm cubes)

2 spring onions (roughly sliced on an angle to release more flavour)

2 yellow peppers (roasted and chopped into 1cm cubes)

3 sticks of celery (roughly chopped)

100g green pitted olives (halved)

20g fresh basil (roughly chopped)

1 clove garlic (chopped)

80ml extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp dried oregano

35ml white wine vinegar

1 loaf of Toscana bread

160ml tomato-based sauce

5 anchovy fillets (optional)

Method

- Cut the bread into 2cm cubes, toss with olive oil and bake at 200ºC for 7-8 minutes or until it is crunchy.

- Cut the peppers into quarters and roast at 220ºC for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting into cubes.

- Chop all the remaining vegetables into rough 1 cm cubes and place into a mixing bowl. Mix until all the flavours and colours mingle

- Add the olives, chopped garlic, oregano and basil

- Dress the salad liberally with the olive oil, vinegar, black pepper and a touch of salt.

- When ready to serve, coat the croutons well in the tomato sauce before adding the vegetables. Mix together.

- To finish, top the salad with anchovies (optional) and garnish with some fresh basil

Times Recommends

• 21 top tips for Christmas
• Chocolate and chestnut souffle cake
• Rabbit and oysters — feasts of Christmas past