LIGURIAN-STYLE ROSEMARY, SEMI-DRIED TOMATO & ANCHOVY FOCACCIA

Recipe adapted from Nudo’s Liguria’s Famous Focaccia

Serves 4

Prep time 1 hour

Resting time

1st rest 30 minutes

2nd rest 30 minutes (or overnight) 3rd rest 30 minutes

• 1 (around 120g) large boiled potato • 1 tsp honey

• ¼ cup (60ml) warm milk

• 25g fresh or 7g dry yeast

• 3½ cups (435g) plain flour

• 2½ tsp (13g) salt

• 85ml extra virgin olive oil

• 200ml warm water

for the top

• 85ml water

• 85ml extra virgin olive oil

• salt

• 3 rosemary sprigs

• 3 anchovies cut into pieces

• 6 semi-dried tomatoes cut into pieces

• Boil the potato (skin on) and once it’s cooked peel and mash it/pass it through a ricer.

• Mix the honey into the milk and add the yeast, then set it aside to proof.

• Sift the flour and salt into mixer bowl and add the mashed potato, olive oil and the yeasty milk mixture. Use the dough hook and work the dough on low till ingredients are mixed. Gradually add the rest of the water to bring the dough together. Knead the dough for 10 minutes or until it is soft and spongy.

• Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Put in the oven at 40°C to keep warm.

• Once risen, knock back the dough and transfer onto an oiled baking sheet with a rim. Push dough into the corners of the baking sheet to spread it out. Either leave to rise again for 30 minutes or cover with a damp tea towel and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight or 12 hours for a slow rise to develop a better flavour.

• Once the 2nd rise is complete, make deep dents in the dough with your fingers, being careful not to make holes in the dough.

• Stick rosemary, semi-dried tomatoes and anchovy pieces into the dents.

• Cover the dough and let rise again for another 30 minutes.

• Preheat the oven to 200°C. Sprinkle the dough with salt crystals. Shake the water and oil for the top together in a jar (or mix in a bowl) and quickly pour it evenly over the top of the focaccia dough. It may look like a lot of liquid, but it all gets absorbed as it bakes in the oven.

• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until crisp and brown. Let it cool on a rack and then slice into strips. Eat warm.