Recipe: Dry-Roast Almonds

Makes sufficient for serving with pre-prandial Prosecco over the course of several days - if you can manage to keep them that long!

Ingredients: 500g whole blanched Almonds; 1 teaspoon good Olive Oil; 1 generous teaspoon powdered Paprika (try and find paprika with a good strong flavour - I use Paprika Dolce, from Carrefour); one and a half teaspoons of granular sea-salt.

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees C.

2. Tip the Almonds into a large oven dish or roasting pan; spread them out as widely as the pan will allow.

3. Roast the Almonds in the oven for approximately 45 minutes, until they begin to colour. Meanwhile, grind the sea-salt to a powder using an electric coffee or spice mill (appropriately cleaned out first).

4. Once the Almonds have begun to colour, add the Oil to the pan and roll the Almonds around until they are all evenly coated with Oil.

5. Combine the Paprika with the ground sea-salt and add this the Almonds; again, roll the Almonds around, until coated with the mixture, and then return the pan to the oven for another five minutes or so.

Allow to cool before serving. Best served immediately, although they can be kept in an air-tight container for several days if you wish.