Step by step
Combine 350ml tepid water with 10gm dried yeast and 10gm caster sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix to combine. Add 500gm (3⅓ cups) sifted plain flour and 2 tsp fine sea salt, then mix, scraping down sides occasionally to incorporate all the flour, until a sticky dough forms
(8-10 minutes; see tip).
2
To make one large focaccia, oil a 15cm x 25cm x 3cm-deep tray and dust with semolina. Scrape dough into prepared tray with a pastry scraper or rubber spatula.
3
Rub 1 tbsp olive oil over dough ball and set aside to prove until doubled in size (20-30 minutes; the warmer and more humid the room, the quicker it will prove). 4
Stretch dough to fill the tray
(it should be soft and pillowy; be gentle to keep as much air in the dough as possible). Using both hands, lift dough from underneath and gently pull and stretch it lengthways, then sideways. If it doesn’t quite reach the edges, that’s fine; as it proves the second time, it will expand further.
5
To make individual focaccia, as pictured opposite, divide dough into 85gm balls and place on prepared tray. Use your fingertips to pat into 1cm-thick rounds. Apply a small amount of olive oil to coat. 6
Preheat oven to 240°C. Drizzle 11/2 tbsp olive oil over dough and leave to prove for 10-15 minutes. Using both your hands, make deep indents in the dough with your fingertips (and maybe some big air bubbles, too), then drizzle over 11/2 tbsp oil. Set aside to prove for a further 10-12 minutes.
7
Add 250gm halved cherry tomatoes and 2 tsp rosemary leaves, and press into dough slightly. Drizzle over 11/2 tbsp olive oil and set aside to prove until dough is just popping over the edge of tray and oil is about to overflow. (If using a tray with different dimensions, aim for the dough to be about 3cm deep.) 8
Season generously with 2-3 tsp salt flakes (for a savoury focaccia). Bake until deep golden and focaccia sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom of the tray (12-15 minutes). Add one final drizzle of oil as soon as focaccia comes out of the oven, then rest in tray for 5 minutes. Turn out on a wire rack to cool for 20-30 minutes, then serve.