Sift flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a small bowl and make a well in the centre

Sprinkle half the fennel seeds and pour in the water and the butter, Mix with your fingertips till you have a soft dough

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Shape into an oval and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm dark place for 1 hour

Turn out the dough onto a floured surface again and punch down for about 5 minutes. Shape into an oval again and place in an oiled baking tray. Brush top with olive oil, cover and leave for another 45minutes

Brush top of the loaf with egg white and sprinkle some fennel seeds on top

Place in the middle of a preheated oven @ 220℃ for 20 minutes

Reduce the temperature to 180℃ and bake for a further 10 minutes.