By Bea Bennet
This week I’ve decided to move away from the sweet treats and give you a lovely fool proof bread recipe. Many people, including myself, find home-making bread an intimidating task, and most recipes require a good few hours of your precious time, but this focaccia bread is quick and easy to make – so give it a try!
It’s great served on it’s own as an appetiser, or dipped into a small saucer of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. If you’re feeling fancy, why not have a bowl of mixed olives nearby?!
Ingredients:
– 500g strong white bread flour
– 2tsp salt
– 1 sachet fast-action dried yeast (7g)
– 80ml olive oil
– 250 warm water
– Vegetable oil
– Bunch of fresh rosemary
– Large pinch of sea salt
Method:
1. Put the flour, salt, yeast, and olive oil into a large mixing bowl, then gradually add the water until you can form a soft, but not sticky, dough (N.B. be careful not to add the water too quickly to prevent the dough from becoming too wet, as this will ruin it).
2. Knead the dough in the bowl until it comes to a smooth consistency without any sticky bits.
3. After this, knead the dough for a further 10-15 mins on a lightly floured work surface.
4. Shape the dough into a circle/oval on a lightly floured baking tray, flattening it slightly to make it an even depth all around.
5. Lightly oil the underside of some cling film and cover the dough, making sure it is airtight.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C, and place the dough next to the oven (perhaps on a chair or something similar) – this warm atmosphere will help the dough rise. It should almost double in size.
7. Remove the cling film, and with a floured index finger, indent the top of the dough with holes into which you can push a small sprig of rosemary.
8. Sprinkle some sea salt over the top and bake in the top of the oven for 25-30 mins.
9. Drizzle a fair amount of olive oil on top, sprinkle with another good pinch of sea salt and leave on the baking tray to cool completely.