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Ingredients
- 140 ml (4.9fl oz) olive oil, plus extra for kneading and finishing
- 500 g (17.6oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 360 ml (12.7fl oz) cool water
- 10 g (0.4oz) salt
- 10 g (0.4oz) instant yeast
- 1 sprinkling fine semolina for dusting (optional)
- 1 pinch dried oregano
- 1 pinch sea salt flakes
Method
- Lightly oil a 23 litre square plastic container.
- (Make sure you use a square tub as it helps shape the dough.)
- Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the yeast to one side of the bowl and the salt to the other.
- Add three-quarters of the water and 40ml of olive oil, and turn the mixture round with your fingers.
- Continue to add water, a little at a time, until youve picked up all the flour from the sides of the bowl.
- You may not need to add all the water, or you may need to add a little more.
- You want your dough to be very soft wetter than a standard bread dough.
- Use the mixture to clean the inside of the bowl and keep going until the mixture forms a rough dough.
- Coat the work surface with some of the remaining olive oil, then tip the dough onto it and begin to knead.
- Knead for around 510 minutes.
- Work through the initial wet stage until the dough starts to form a soft, smooth skin.
- It's best to avoid adding any more flour, as the dough is supposed to have a wet, sticky consistency.
- When your dough feels soft and elastic, put the dough into the oiled tub.
- Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise until at least doubled in size about 1 hour.
- Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment and drizzle with olive oil.
- Put more olive oil on the work surface and dust with fine semolina if you have some.
- Carefully tip the dough onto the surface.
- Handle the dough very gently so you keep as much air in it as possible.
- Divide the dough in half.
- Stretch each piece out to a flat, even piece and place on a baking tray.
- Put each tray into a clean plastic bag and leave to prove for about 1 hour, until the dough is doubled in size and springs back quickly if you prod it lightly with your finger.
- Meanwhile, heat your oven to 220C/gas mark 7.
- Use your fingers to make deep dimples in the focaccia, pushing them all the way through the dough to the bottom.
- Drizzle each focaccia with olive oil and sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt and oregano, then bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Tap the bottom of the focaccia and you should hear a hollow sound.
- Trickle with more olive oil, then cool on a wire rack.
