Carina Contini recipe: Focaccia
We all have reasons to be grateful, so take a moment to let the people in your life know how you feel with this wonderful recipe for focaccia, writes Carina Contini
This is the same recipe I use for pizza. If you dress this with good oil, garlic and fresh rosemary, it’s a perfect match for the minestrone.
Ingredients
- 700g strong white bread flour (Italian of course if you can get your hands on some)
- 420ml hand hot water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 15g instant dried yeast (we use fresh yeast but this is easier)
- 2 tsp salt
- a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, plus 4 or 5 generous tbsp extra virgin olive oil for the topping – more if you think it needs it
- a large pinch of salt flakes
- 3 fresh rosemary stalks
- 2 cloves of fresh garlic, sliced
Serves: 4-8 Difficulty: Medium Time to cook: 120 mins
Method
Makes two loaves
1 A warm airing cupboard or bread oven is essential. I put my tumble drier on, empty it, then prove my dough in there.
2 Choose a large baking bowl and pop it in the oven so it’s hot, then remove from the oven. Add the flour to warm it, then add the teaspoons of salt, sugar and yeast.
3 Add the water and beat with the dough hook until it leaves the side of the bowl. Transfer to a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until silky smooth.
4 Transfer back into a clean large mixing bowl and drizzle with a little oil. Cover with clingfilm and then with a tea towel and put into your cosy place. The dough needs to double in size, which should take about 45 minutes.
5 Remove the dough and gently cut in half, then stretch the dough to fill two 30cm x 20cm oiled baking trays. Cover with clingfilm and put back into the warm cupboard to prove again for a further 45 minutes.
6 When the dough is risen, drizzle the oil over the top and sprinkle over the garlic and rosemary and a generous amount of salt flakes. Bake in your hottest oven ever (our ovens are 340C/Gas Mark 9+ for pizza) for about 8 to 12 minutes until light and golden.
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