Home-made granola is unbeatable, not least because it allows you to manage the level of sweetness (which can be frighteningly high in store-bought varieties) and to add your own favourite ingredients. This recipe has a Middle Eastern slant, incorporating tangy pomegranate molasses, exotic rosewater, dried sour cherries and pistachios (but why not also try chopped apricots and dates with coconut, hazelnuts and orange flower water?).
The base recipe uses apple purée, which is a Nigella Lawson suggestion (from Feast), which she, in turn, credits to Andy Rolleri. It is a terrific idea, as it allows you to reduce the amount of oil in the recipe and makes for an extra-crunchy granola. Other fruit purées work well, too, so feel free to experiment. And if you don’t want to make your own purée (we used 1 large Granny Smith for this recipe), substitute with a good-quality, organic, unsweetened brand.