Focaccia Bread

This flat pizza-type bread, Focaccia is delicious

What is focaccia? Focaccia is flat bread which can be either round or rectangular. It originates from northern Italy where it is baked over a hot stone on the coals. These days focaccia, traditionally made with olive oil, coarse salt and fresh herbs, can be baked in an electric oven. Be creative and serve focaccia as part of a mezza-meal with homemade soup or on its own drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

I made it for my Christmas dinner and it went down a real treat.


Olive and Herb Focaccia (Value magazine, August 2003)
500 g Cake flour
10ml salt
7g dry yeast (I use instant packet yeast: 10g, it works fine)
100ml olive oil
280ml warm water
8 cloves of garlic (crushed)
10 peppadews , halved
10 black olives, de-pipped and halved
40ml rosemary
125ml grated mozzarella
Coarse sea salt

Mix the flour, salt and yeast in a bowl.
Mix 45ml olive oil with warm water.
Make a hollow in the middle of the dry ingredients and stir the liquid in gradually.
Knead until dough is soft but not sticky.
Turn out on floured surface and knead well.
Roll into a ball and place in oiled mixing bowl.
Cover with Clingfilm and allow proving for approximately 2 hours
When it’s doubled in size, knock it down again.
Add half the garlic, peppadews, olives and finely chopped rosemary.
Shape into a rectangle on a greased and floured baking tray.
Allow proving again, for about an hour
Set oven at 220°C (400° F)
Sprinkle remainder of garlic, peppadews, and olives; add the cheese
Press little hollows into the dough, drizzle with remaining olive oil
Sprinkle with coarse sea salt
Bake in oven for 30 minutes until well risen and golden brown.

Tip: Place a shallow pan of boiling water in the oven while the bread is baking.

The steam from the hot water makes the crust beautifully crisp.

Focaccia is at its best when it is still warm.