Focaccia

Focaccia is a flat oven - baked Italian bread, which tastes delicious topped with herbs, as well as vegetables and drizzled with olive oil.

~ To make a Basic Focaccia~
500g strong bread flour
7g pack, easy blend yeast
2 tbsp sea salt
250ml warm water
6 tbsp olive oil
Sprig fresh thyme

Mix together flour, yeast, and 1 1/2 tbsp of the salt, pour in the warm water.
Add the olive oil, and use your hands to mix to a nice soft dough, adding more water if necessary.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead for 10 minutes. Roll out to a rectangle about 1 inch thick, place onto a baking tray and cover with clingfilm loosely, then leave in a warm place for about a hour until risen.

Preheat the oven to 220C, 425F, gas 7
Make indentations into the dough with your fingers (thats a fun bit) Sprinkle over the remainng salt and drizzle over the olive oil. Scatter over with the thyme, and pop into oven and bake for around 25-30mins until golden brown.

Focaccia is very versatile, so you can make it your own by adding different toppings. Why noy try topping your focaccia with different herbs, try Rosemary or sage. Or try some sliced red onions or thinly sliced tomatoes, even olives or cheese of any kind.

~ Serve with any Italian meal, I love it for dipping in my pasta sauce.