Garlic and herb focaccia recipe

Makes 1 30cm x 30cm slice

Ingredients:

650g  strong white bread flour
1 tbsp dried active yeast (check the packaging of your yeast for instructions if using fast action yeast)
1 tsp sugar
150 ml warm water for the yeast – 1 part boiling to 2 parts cold
water as required for the dough
2 tbsp olive oil and more to drizzle
3 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and herbs to season and sprinkle

Method:

1. In a big warm jug, dissolve the sugar into the warm water before adding the yeast and whisking thoroughly. Leave the mixture in a warm place for 15 minutes or so until the surface is frothy.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour and garlic and make a well in the middle.
3. Whisk the yeast mixture again before pouring into the well along with the olive oil.
4. Start incoporating the flour from the outside into the middle to form a dough. As it comes together, the dough should be very soft. If it’s too wet, add more flour but not enough to harden the dough; and if it’s not quite incorporating, add more warm water.
5. Turn out on to a flat surface to knead for around 10 minutes, until smooth, and then allow to rise in a covered bowl for around 15 minutes in a warm place.
6. After the dough rises, knead again for around 5 minutes before rolling out the dought to around 1cm thick.
7. Place on to a floured baking sheet and allow the dough to rise again for another 10 minutes to about one and half times its size.
8. Using your fingers, make more of less even dents in rows along its surface. You don’t want to press too deep, about half way is good.
9. Drizzle liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt and herbs. I’ve used dried Italian herbs here (a mixture of rosemary, oregano and thyme) but ideally it would be fresh rosemary, roughly chopped.
10. Bake for 30 minutes at 200ºC, until golden with a slight crust.