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This inspired my own version, which doesn’t use wheat flour. Essentially this is a lot of cooked and very well seasoned vegetables mixed into an egg and chickpea flour based batter then baked until firm. You could change up the veg, add a ton more spice – even add in more types of cooked meat if you wish.

Whole chestnuts and turkey with chopped fresh zingy cranberries would be great!

Olive oil for frying

1 tbs tomato paste

1 onion if wished, cut into small cubes

1 eggplant, cut into small cubes

1 bell pepper, cut into small cubes

150 g (5 oz) of mushrooms sliced or 150g green beans chopped into small pieces

10-12 decent black olives, destoned and cut in half

1 tbs dried cranberries or sultanas if you feel fancy

1 clove of garlic, grated

120 g chopped cooked ham or 120g chopped cooked chestnuts

2 tbs red wine vinegar

½ tsp salt

Batter

4 medium eggs

100 ml of milk

75g chickpea flour

75g ground almonds

30 g grated parmesan cheese

Butter to grease the tin and breadcrumbs to line the tin but better to use parchment paper – it can stick

1 tsp Salt – the batter needs it even though it has parmesan in it. Chickpea flour can be BLAND.

½ tsp Fresh ground black pepper if you like it

Fry the tomato paste in the oil for a few minutes then

Cook off the onions and eggplant/aubergine.

When they start to soften add in the rest of the vegetables, garlic, olives, the vinegar and the sultanas/cranberries. Mix well.

When the veg is all soft mix taste it and re-season if needed.

Mix in the ham or the chestnuts and leave it all aside to cool.

Whisk the eggs and milk together.

Add the grated cheese and both flours to the egg/milk and whisk very well until smooth. Chickpea flour can be tricky but just keep going.

Line the 2lb loaf tin or grease it really, really well.

Mix all the veg into the batter.

Pour into the tin and smooth the top. It will puff up a little when baked.

Bang or gently drop the tin a few times on the worksurface to remove air pockets.

Bake at 170C fan for 40 minutes until it is golden brown and a tooth pick comes out clean.

Cool in the tin until firm enough to turn out and slice.

Good hot, but even good cold with chutney!