OLIVE, TOMATO AND ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

SERVES 68
Focaccia is a great place to start when making bread.It is
hands-on but very quick and tasty.
Adding oil t o t he whit e dough makes t he finished loaf silky
soft , and t he semolina gives it a more rust ic edge. You can
finish your dough wit h anyt hing from t omat oes, rosemary and
roast ed garlic t o olives, or even salami. Some people like t o
push t hese int o t he dough, but I think that stops the aeration
so Ileave mine on top.
500g strong bread flour
1 heaped tbsp coarse semolina
2 7g sachets dried yeast
50ml olive oil, plus a lit t le ext ra
75g pit t ed black olives, sliced
150g sunblush tomatoes
23 rosemary sprigs, leaves only
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Thoroughly mix the flour, semolina and yeast with a couple of
generous pinches of salt. Mix 320ml warm water
with the olive oil. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture
and gradually add the liquid.
(Its easiest to mix this together with a fork to start with and
then,when it is just coming together,use your hands to make it
in to a ball.)Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and
knead for about 10 minutes until smooth,
elastic and springy to touch.
2. Place the dough in a large floured mixing bowl and leave to
rise in a warm place for 3060 minutes until doubled in size.
3. Preheat t he oven t o 200C/Gas 6.

4. Place t he risen dough in an oiled baking t ray (about 28

20cm) and sprinkle wit h a lit t le salt .
Grease your fingers with a little olive oil and prod out the dough
to the edges of the tray.
5.Press the olives and sunblush tomatoes into the dough so
that they are slightly poking above t he surface. Season wit h
salt and pepper and scatter over t he rosemary leaves.
6. Drizzle the bread with a little extra olive oil and place in the
preheated oven for 30 minutes unt il golden and cooked
through.
7. Turn out of the tray, then transfer to a board, slice and serve.