Rosemary and seasalt focaccia

After getting back from work and eating my tea today, it was time for some baking! No sitting around while my sourdough starter gets going; I have fresh yeast in the fridge and, apparently, people who want bread!


I made rosemary and seasalt focaccia for the first time the other day and it went pretty damn well. Mum took some into work and it proved so popular, I've had a request for some more. Here's how I made it, following a recipe by Paul Hollywood


Ingredients

500g strong white bread flour
2 teaspoons sea salt
32g fresh yeast (or 14g fast action dry yeast)
2 tablespoons olive oil
400ml cold water (I saw this instruction and was worried by the "cold", but fear not; the yeast still gets going)
2 sprigs rosemary, stripped and finely chopped
Olive oil, sea salt and rosemary fronds, to finish


Method

1. Put the flour, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl (put the salt on one side of the bowl and the yeast on the other; direct contact in concentrated amounts may make the salt kill the yeast). If using fresh yeast, rub this into the flour
2. Add the 2 tbsp olive oil and 300ml of water and stir gently to combine into a dough
3. Knead for 5 minutes in the bowl, gradually incorporating the rest of the water. The dough will become very sticky, but this is meant to happen. I found kneading at this stage easiest by using and circular motion around the edge of the bowl, followed by a cutting motion through the middle of the dough to stretch it. I then turned the bowl slightly and repeated
4. For the next 5 minutes (still in the bowl), pull a side portion of the dough and push it into the middle. Work round the side until you get back to where you started, then turn the bowl and repeat
5. Turn the dough out onto an oiled work surface and knead for a further 5 minutes. Only use olive oil to prevent it from sticking. As to kneading, you'll probably find it easiest to pull the dough to stretch it
6. Place in a bowl, cover loosely with cling film or a cloth and prove until doubled in size
7. Once proved, turn out onto a baking tray (it may need lining with baking parchment if you don't have a non-stick tray) and push to the edges of the tray (if it keeps springing back, let it rest for a minute or 2 before pushing it out again). Leave to prove for a second time, again until doubled in size
8. In the meantime, preheat your oven at 220 degrees C (425 degrees F, gas mark 7)
9. Once proved for a second time, push you fingers into the dough to create dimples. Drizzle with olive oil, dot with rosemary fronds and sprinkle generously with sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes until golden on top and it gives a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom
10. Enjoy pieces dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar!

Recipe adapted from:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/focaccia_08389