Baking with Lou #3 - Focaccia

Focaccia

I particularly like this bread, it's very easy and forgiving to make, always popular on the boat. This does not require a Kitchenaid in fact should really be made by hand which I always used to do in my faithful pastry bowl. You will need a bit of time for this bread, as with all breads it needs to be able to prove. I gave some to my next door neighbour and she suggested perhaps adding black olives - might give that a go next time despite not being a lover of olives !! 

Ingredients

• 500g strong bread flour
• 10g yeast (I use the dry stuff but you can use fresh)
• 10g table salt
• 140ml olive oil
• 360ml cool water
• Flaky sea salt
• 6 good sprigs of fresh rosemary

Required kit

• Mixing bowl or kitchenaid type thing with a dough hook
• Measuring jug
• Measuring scales
• Spatula (to scrape out the bowl)
• 3 litre Plastic container (used to leave the dough to prove)
• Clean tea towel (to cover dough whilst proving)
• Small bowl (for olive oil and rosemary infusion)
• Cooling rack
• Baking tray 10 x 7.5 inches or bigger if you prefer
• Greaseproof paper

Instructions

Pour some oil into the plastic container and make sure you oil all the sides and the bottom. Place the flour in a large bowl, tip in the yeast to one side and the table salt on the other, don't let them mix at this point because the salt will kill the yeast. Add 40ml of the olive oil and three quarters of the water, start to turn the mixture around with you hands (if you are using a Kitchenaid start on slow speed), once the mixture has started to come together add the rest of the water and really give the dough a good mix with your hand trying to introduce air. This should be a really wet dough so I add about another 20ml of the olive oil at this point which will make the dough feel really slimy to begin with but keep going it will incorporate. If you are using a kitchen aid slowly increase the speed to medium. You need to keep mixing this dough for at least 5 minutes, you should end up with a very wet dough which you will tip into the pre-oiled plastic container, cover with the clean tea towel and leave to prove at room temperature. Break up the rosemary sprigs and place in the remaining oil to infuse.

Line the baking tray with greaseproof paper ready. Once the dough has reached the top of the container or at minimum doubled in size tip gently into the baking tray. Dip your finger tips into the rosemary infused oil so that you can poke dimples in the bread and spread it to the edges and corners of the baking tray. Place the rosemary sprigs on top and drizzle some more oil over the bread then sprinkle on a few good pinches of the sea salt flakes.

Preheat you oven to 220C / 425F / 7Gas leave the bread on the side at room temperature for another 30 minutes then bake for 15-20 minutes.When the bread has a nice golden colour to it bring it out, tip it out of the tray and tap the back - it should have a nice hollow sound. Get some balsamic vinegar for dipping, cut yourself a nice wedge of freshly baked bread and enjoy !!!!