Olives & bread: probably two of the foods I enjoy most. So, I had to find a way to put them together. What sounds better than an Olive and Rosemary Focaccia? 

A fluffy and crispy pull-apart bread garnished with aromatic olives and sprigs of freshly picked rosemary from the garden (it is actually small wooden wine crates I converted over the first lockdown - but hey, it works just fine for me). The smell of the bread baking and the burst of flavours in your mouth once you take that first bite, make the effort and waiting time so worth it. Sometimes, a little effort goes a long way & that is the case here.

Although my preferred toppings lean towards olives and rosemary, this focaccia dough can be garnished to your hearts desire. Add sun-dried tomatoes or fresh cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic cloves, peppers, artichokes, asparagus, edible flowers or any sort of fresh or dried herbs (basil, sage, chives, dill, thyme, oregano, etc.). As always, have fun in the kitchen and enjoy this delicious focaccia!

- Vegan Recipe -

FOCACCIA DOUGH

1 teaspoon of active dry yeast

235ml of lukewarm water

1 teaspoon of unrefined brown sugar

2 tablespoons of olive oil + extra for the baking tray

310g of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoons of salt

Add the water, yeast and sugar to a mixing bowl. Lightly stir and set aside until the top of the mixture appears foamy (approx. 10 mins).

In the same bowl, add the flour, salt and olive oil.

Mix on low speed or knead by hand (approx. 10 mins) until fully incorporated and a dough has formed. Continue mixing/ kneading for 1 minute. The dough should spring back when touched.

With lightly floured hands, shape the dough into a ball and place into a bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise in a warm place, free from draughts (e.g: in an unlit oven), for 2 hours. The dough should double in size.

Remove the dough from the oven and degas it by lightly punching it down. 

Gently scrape the dough out onto a generously oiled baking tray and leave it to rest for 10-15 minutes.

Gently stretch out the dough towards the edges of the baking tray to roughly form a rectangular shape.

Cover with a clean cloth and leave to rise in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 230°C.

OLIVE & ROSEMARY GARNISH

40ml of olive oil

100g of pitted olives*

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary leaves

Freshly grated pepper

Fleur de sel

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and create dimples in the surface of the dough using your fingertips.

Generously coat the dough with olive oil. Add the olives and rosemary by gently pressing them down into the dough.

Season with pepper and fleur de sel.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove the focaccia from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack before enjoying.

Notes: *Use a mix of green, black and kalamata olives for more depth of flavour.

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