THE ULTIMATE FOCACCIA
I’ll often take one of these with me if I’m going to a dinner party – it always disappears very quickly! There’s a lot of water in the dough, which you need, as otherwise you can end up with a cakey texture. Because of the proving time it’s best to start a day ahead.
Makes 1 large focaccia
For the dough
500g strong white bread flour
8g fine salt
10g fast-action dried yeast 30ml olive oil, plus extra for oiling
370ml water
For the topping
75g pitted Kalamata black olives
1 small red onion
10 cherry tomatoes
1tbsp dried oregano
About 150ml olive oil, to drizzle
Flaky sea salt
Put all of the dough ingredients into a large bowl and stir together to combine and form a dough. Fold a corner of the dough into the middle and push firmly, then rotate the bowl 90° and repeat. Continue this folding and turning action for 2 minutes, then tip the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface and knead for 10 minutes until soft and elastic. Alternatively, use a mixer fitted with the dough hook to mix and knead the dough, allowing 2 minutes on slow and 7 minutes on medium speed.
Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with a large plastic bag and leave to rise at room temperature for 2 hours until at least doubled in size. Liberally oil the base of a large, shallow baking tin, about 30 x 20cm. Tip the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface and stretch it to fit the dimensions of the prepared baking tray, then place in the tray. Drizzle with lots of olive oil and make firm indentations all over the surface with your fingers. Put the tray into a roomy plastic bag and leave to prove for 16 hours.
Remove the tray from the bag and place the olives evenly on the dough, pressing them firmly in place. Cut the onion into slim wedges and distribute these over the dough, pushing them in too. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and press them evenly into the dough. Drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with the dried oregano and a generous amount of flaky salt.
Heat your oven to 210°C/fan 190°C/gas 6. Bake the focaccia for 20 minutes or until golden brown. As you take the focaccia from the oven, drizzle more olive oil over the surface. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.