Ingredient of the Week

Dough This week I have made a great, tasty wee snack or starter that can be rustled up from basic store cupboard ingredients.

If this year has taught me anything it’s to make sure that our home store cupboard and dry ingredients are all in good order with beans, pulses, flours and plenty of tinned tomatoes, as you never know what’s coming next.

A perfect example being that this week our family was told to stay home, quarantined for 14 days as a precaution within the Covid-19 track and trace system.

With everyone mooching around the house looking for snack options, I decided to make some thin and crisp focaccia and a fresh tomato dipping sauce.

Much as I love the thick, soft focaccia baked with rosemary, this thin crispy version is my absolute favourite, hot from the oven drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of soft sea salt flakes – it really is hard to beat.

Like making pizza, it’s essential to get your oven as hot as you can and use a pizza stone or, if like me you dropped it and smashed it to pieces, an upturned heavy baking tray will do the job.

Roll out the dough fairly thin, brush with oil or butter and place on a hot stone/tray and bake. After the first one, you’ll know how long they need based on your oven and will fall into a system of rolling and baking until all the dough is baked.

Serve immediately with oil, balsamic vinegar or a tomato dipping sauce. Be warned, they will disappear quickly and you’ll definitely be asked to make more.