Focaccia
With a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Focaccia
With a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Nutrition per serving
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Calories 270 14%
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Fat 1.7g 2%
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Saturates 0.3g 2%
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Sugars 2.1g 2%
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Salt 2.3g 38%
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Protein 8.5g 17%
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Carbs 58.8g 23%
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Fibre 2.3g -
Of an adult's reference intake
Ingredients
- 20 g fresh yeast , or 2 × 7g sachets of dried yeast
- 20 g runny honey
- 500 g strong bread flour , plus extra for dusting
- 500 g semolina flour , plus extra for dusting (if you can’t get hold of any semolina flour, plain flour will do)
- extra virgin olive oil
The cost per serving below is generated by Whisk.com and is based on costs in individual supermarkets. For more information about how we calculate costs per serving read our FAQS
Method
- Follow the basic recipe until Step 8, then split the dough into half or quarters.
- Roll or push it out to an oval shape roughly 1.5cm thick; don’t fuss around for perfection, it’s supposed to be rough and rustic, so what a great excuse for a beginner!
- Place on a baking tray liberally dusted with semolina, and spread evenly with your chosen topping (see tips).
- Finally, make those characteristic holes by pushing all your fingers deep into the dough many times, which allows the flavour of the topping to penetrate.
- Leave to prove again in a warm place and after about 45 minutes it will prove to that classic 3cm high.
- Bake for about 15 minutes at full whack (240°C/475°F/gas 9) until ready. As soon as the focaccia comes out of the oven, feed it with a good drizzle of your very best extra virgin olive oil and a light scattering of sea salt. You can eat the focaccia as soon as it has cooled slightly.
Tips
Basil & olive oil topping
This is the easiest topping and very tasty. Peel and finely chop 1 clove of garlic and a good bunch of fresh basil. Add roughly three times as much olive oil as you have of the basil mixture, a squeeze of lemon juice, some sea salt, black pepper and sometimes a crushed dried red chilli – gives nice warmth!
Potato & rosemary topping
Wash about 15 new potatoes and slice as thinly as possible. Put into boiling salted (or minty) water for 2 minutes. Drain, place in a bowl, and coat with a generous amount of your best olive oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper, then add 1 peeled, finely chopped clove of garlic and a handful of chopped fresh rosemary leaves. Spread and push the mixture all over the bread. Flick some extra rosemary on top before baking, for a really rustic look.
Onion topping
I’m a real fried onion boy myself! This topping is tasty, light and fragrant. Peel and halve, from the core to the top, 3 average-sized red onions (or about 6 shallots), then slice as thinly as you can. Heat a frying pan with a good lug of olive oil. Add 1 peeled, finely sliced clove of garlic, a good handful of fresh thyme leaves, and the onions. Add a pinch of sea salt and fry fast, keeping it on the move, for 4 minutes (the idea is to cook fast and caramelize the onions, but not to over-colour or burn them). Next, add about 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and simmer for a further 4 minutes. Add some salt and black pepper and a little extra virgin olive oil, spread everything over your bread, then throw some extra thyme leaves over it. Looks great!
