This is the first bread we made together and it’s been our go-to homemade carb for years now. If you are feeling stressed, we highly recommend you go through the process of making this.
MASTERCLASS: ROSEMARY AND SEA SALT FOCACCIA
This is the first bread we made together and it’s been our go-to homemade carb for years now. If you are feeling stressed, we highly recommend you go through the process of making this.
PREP AND COOK TIME: 2 HOURS 10 MINS INC PROVING TIMEMAKES: 1 LARGE FOCACCIA FOR 4 PEOPLE
310ml lukewarm water
7g sachet of dried yeast
2 teaspoons caster sugar
100ml olive oil
450g plain flour
1 tablespoon sea salt flakes
10 rosemary sprigs
1. Combine the warm water, yeast, sugar and a drizzle of olive oil in a jug and set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Place the flour and 2 teaspoons of salt in a large bowl.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured worktop and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Then place the dough in a bowl greased with a drizzle of olive oil. Cover with a damp tea towel, and set aside in a warm place to prove for 45 minutes. It should almost double in size.
5. Turn the dough out onto the floured worktop and knead for 5 minutes. Return to the bowl, cover with the damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for 20 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
7. Turn out the dough, dust with a little flour and knead for 2 minutes until the dough returns to its original size and is smooth and elastic.
8. Place the dough in a large deep baking dish and press with your fingers to flatten and stretch it out to fit the dish. Slather on the remaining olive oil, sprinkle on the remaining salt and push the rosemary needles into the dough. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the bread is golden and crisp on the outside, but soft and fluffy on the inside. Allow the focaccia to cool for a few minutes on a wire rack, then slice and serve warm.
WILL Why do you call for warm water to combine with the yeast?
STEVE Yeast’s optimum temperature for growth is 32°C. If the water is cooler than that it will restrict the growth and, on the flip side, if the water reaches a temperature of 38°C the yeast will die. To not complicate things too much, I hope that everyone's warm water is 32°C.