This focaccia recipe is topped with rosemary and sea salt for extra flavour and takes just 25 mins in the oven.
It's an easy recipe to follow but the dough comes out fairly wet so we use a free-standing mixer instead of kneading the dough by hand (see tip below).
We recommend eating focaccia bread warm or at room temperature and eating on the day of baking or freezing it.
Plus rising and cooling
Serving notes: makes 1 loaf/serves 10
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Yields:
1
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Cal/Serv:
278
Ingredients
500g
(1lb 2oz) strong white flour, plus extra to dust
7g
sachet fast-action dried yeast
100ml
(3 ½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to grease
For the dusting/topping
3Tbsp.
quick-cook polenta, optional
25ml
(1 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
1tsp.
sea salt flakes
2
rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
Directions
Step 1
Put flour into bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with a dough hook (see GH Tip). Mix in yeast and 2tsp fine salt. Add oil and 300ml (1/2 pint) lukewarm water and mix on slow-medium speed for 5min or until dough is elastic and soft (it will be fairly sticky – add a little more flour if too sticky). Cover bowl with greased clingfilm and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size – about 11/2hr.
Step 2
Dust a large baking tray with polenta, if using, or grease with oil. Scrape dough on to prepared baking tray. Using fingers, press into a rough 20.5 x 30.5cm (8 x 12in) rectangle. Cover with greased clingfilm (oil-side down) and leave in a warm place to prove for 30min until soft and pillowy.
Step 3
Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan) mark 7. In a small bowl, whisk together topping oil with 25ml (1fl oz) water until emulsified. With floured fingers, poke vertical dimples into dough, down to tray. Pour over oil mixture and scatter over salt flakes and rosemary.
Step 4
Bake in oven for 25min or until rich golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool a little. Eat warm or at room temperature.
GH Tip
This is a wet dough, so a freestanding mixer is ideal. But you can do step 1 by hand, adding a little more flour if dough is too sticky to knead. Knead for 10min.
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