FOCACCIA

MAKES 25X38CM FOCACCIA. PREP 10 MINS, PLUS PROVING TIME. COOK 25 MINS

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH

• 625g baker’s flour

• 28g bread improver

• 9g instant dry yeast

• 325g water (body temperature, approximately 27C)

• 6g caster sugar

• 5g granulated salt

FRAGRANT

• 1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped

• 5g fresh rosemary, finely chopped

• 3g fresh thyme, finely chopped

• 50g extra virgin olive oil

• 5g sea salt lightly crushed

OIL METHOD

1 In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, place in the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Add in the water. Mix on a slow speed for approximately 10-15 mins or until, once tested, you have a transparent window. Remove the dough from the stand mixer and gently roll into a ball. Lightly spray a clean bowl, place your dough in and cover with plastic wrap. Keep in a warm and draught-free spot to prove for 1½-2 hours. Once the dough has doubled in size, remove it from the bowl and gently stretch it or roll it out to fit a 250mm x 380mm baking tray. Use your fingers to create small indents in the dough to hold the oil.

2 In a bowl, combine all the fragrant oil ingredients. Using a pastry brush, apply the oil to the focaccia dough. Cover loosely with a sheet of plastic wrap and allow to prove at room temperature for 20-30 minutes or until the dough has risen to fill the tray.

3 Bake at 190C in a fan-forced oven for approximately 10 minutes, reduce your oven temperature to 180C and bake for a further 10-15 minutes ensuring that the base is a nice golden colour. Remove from the oven and brush immediately with additional olive oil. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.