This is another type of Fate Bread, it’s really easy to do, and they look fantastic when baked. This recipe makes two focaccia, which are perfect for serving in chunks as a part of an Italian style starter, with soup, or simply as a tear and share bread with a main course salad. It has a lovely texture which is light but slightly more dense than usual, what I like to call ‘rustic’. It’s delicious! I use a little less salt and oil in the basic recipe, because you sprinkle the bread with a little salt and oil before baking. Fate Olive Focaccia freezes well.
INGREDIENTS
500g Fate Low Protein All Purpose Mix
sachet yeast (enclosed with the mix)
1 ½ tsp salt
30ml olive oil
few drops of browning
430ml warm water
Extra Fate Low Protein All Purpose Mix to shape
For the topping:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
4 tsp chopped rosemary sprigs (fresh if possible) and a few whole sprigs
16 - 20 pitted black olives, halved
sprinkling of coarse sea salt
Preheat the oven Gas 6, 200°C, 400°F.
Place the Fate Low Protein All Purpose Mix into a mixing bowl. Add the sachet of yeast and the salt. Stir. Using a baby’s bottle, measure the oil and warm water and place into a separate jug. Add a couple of drops of browning.
Pour all the oil and water mixture onto the dry ingredients and using a balloon whisk, or an electric hand whisk, quickly mix well to get everything blended together. Continue to mix gently for about 1 minute.
Grease two baking trays lightly with oil. Divide the bread mixture equally between the trays. There is no need to weigh it, just do it by eye. Sprinkle the surface with a little Fate Low Protein All Purpose Mix and use your hands to press and shape each bread into an oval shape measuring about 26cm long and 18cm wide.
Grease two pieces of cling film, the size of the baking trays and loosely cover the breads. Leave in a warm place to prove for about 10-15 minutes, or until you can see it has risen a little.
Meanwhile, in a small dish, place the 2 tbsp olive oil, garlic, and chopped rosemary, give it a good stir and leave it on the side. When the focaccia has proved, remove the cling film.
Brush the surface of each bread liberally with the oil, garlic and rosemary mixture. Push the halved olives, into the bread. Do not be afraid to push them right into the bread, so that they will hold in place when baking, but do it quickly as the bread needs to be baked as soon as possible. Then, push the springs of rosemary into the breads and sprinkle lightly with a little coarse sea salt.
Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Check on the breads half way through, as they brown very quickly; you may need to turn the oven down a little so that they don’t go too dark. When baked, remove to a wire rack to cool.
