Focaccia
Focaccia is a story-rich Italian starter that opens the meal with clear regional flavour, simple presentation and a strong sense of place.
About this dish
Italian cuisineIngredients
- 500g Strong white flour
- 8g fine salt
- 10g yeast
- 30ml olive oil plus extra for oiling
- 370ml water
Description
Focaccia is more than a starter: it is a route into regional Italian kitchens, market produce and a tradition of letting good ingredients do most of the work. The dish is built around olive oil, wheat, tomatoes, herbs, cheese and patient sauces, giving it a flavour that feels both practical and deeply connected to its origin. It works especially well for relaxed dinners, family meals and menus built around simple flavour, and it gives readers a clear way to understand how ingredients, technique and food history meet on the plate. it’s perfect
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Make a well, add water and olive oil, and mix into a dough. Fold and rotate the dough for 2 minutes, then knead on an oiled surface for 10 minutes until elastic, or use a mixer with a dough hook (2 minutes slow, 7 minutes medium).
- Cover the dough in a bowl and let rise for 2 hours until doubled.
- Oil a 30x20cm baking tin. Stretch the dough to fit, drizzle with olive oil, and make indentations with your fingers. Cover and prove for 1½ hours. Add toppings, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle oregano and salt, and bake at 210°C/fan 190°C/gas 6½ for 20 minutes until golden.
- Drizzle with olive oil, cool on a wire rack.