Spring garden focaccia

SERVES 8-10

500g strong bread flour

1½tsp salt

1tbsp golden caster sugar 7g fast-action dried yeast

2tbsp olive oil plus extra for greasing and drizzling

Pinch of herbs (rosemary, basil) Choice of vegetables: cherry tomatoes, spring onions, red onions, peppers Olives, black or green Sun-dried tomatoes

Sift the bread flour into a mixing bowl and add a teaspoon of salt. Whisk together to combine and leave to one side.

Fill a jug with 300ml of lukewarm water and stir through the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and leave it aside for 10 minutes. A foam layer will form on top of the water.

Pour the water into the dough with two tablespoons of olive oil and stir them together to make a sticky but soft dough. Turn the dough out onto the work surface and knead for 10 minutes until bouncy, with an elastic feel.

Keep slapping it down onto the work surface and stretching it out, repeating the motion when kneading the dough.

Clean your mixing bowl, lightly grease it with olive oil and then place the dough in. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave it to one side in a warm place for two hours. Once it has doubled in size, it is ready for the next stage.

Slide the risen dough out of the bowl and onto your work surface, knocking it back into a round ball.

Lightly grease a 28cm by 18cm baking tray with olive oil and put the dough into the tin. Gently stretch it out so it is the same shape as the tin. It should expand to fill it. Cover the top of the tin with cling film and put it in the fridge to rise overnight.

Take the focaccia out of the fridge and set it aside for one hour before you bake it. Gently use your fingers to poke dimples in the top of the dough and drizzle it with olive oil and a bit of salt. Preheat your oven to 230°C/210°C fan/ gas mark 8.

Prepare your toppings using mixed herbs, soft vegetables, olives, antipasto and sun-dried tomatoes. Use your vegetables to create your arrangement on your focaccia. We used onions, tomatoes, spring onions and olives. Add your herbs to create the leaves.

Once added to your focaccia place in the oven and cook for 20 to25 minutes until golden and risen. It should be hollow to touch.

Take your focaccia out of the oven and let it cool before removing it from the tin, then place it on a wire rack to cool. Add extra olive oil for extra flavour.

Tomorrow

Pan-fried prawns in garlic butter