This bread is very fragrant and flavoursome, once you make it, you”ll be thinking up various meals for it to go with.

Focaccia Bread

Ingredients

For the Bread

• 500g of strong bread flour/ plain or all purpose flour
• 300ml of warm water
• 1tsp of salt
• 1tsp of sugar
• 1 packet of yeast
• 2tbls of Virgin Rapeseed or Olive oil

For the Topping

• Virgin Rapeseed or Olive oil for drizzling APPROX 3tbls
• A handful of fresh Rosemary – some of them chopped and some left as sprigs
• Fresh ground black pepper-coarse
• Fresh ground salt-coarse

Method

1. Into a large bowl put your flour, salt, yeast and sugar.
2. Create a well and pour in your water and oil.
3. Mix until combined.
4. Tip out onto a floured surface and knead for 5mins or until your dough is soft
5. Lightly oil your bowl, put the kneaded bread into the bowl, cover and allow to rise for 1-1½hrs.
6. Once risen tip the dough out onto a floured surface and gently knock back.
7. Lightly oil a large tray (up to 14″x10″) and work your dough gently to fill the tray.
8. Cover and allow to rise again until the dough looks puffy, this should take around 30-45mins.
9. Using you first 2 fingers gently press in to the dough to create dimples all over.
10. Drizzle over with oil allowing the oil to fill the dimples.
11. Sprinkle over the chopped rosemary.
12. Generously grind black pepper and salt all over.
13. Finally push in a few sprigs of Rosemary.
14. Bake in a pre heated oven 220°c, 425°f, Gas Mark 7 for 15 minutes until golden brown.
15. Serve hot and enjoy.

Suggested additional toppings: grated Parmesan cheese, Garlic slithers, sun dried tomatoes to name but a few.