Recipe: The Revel Bakery’s focaccia

This recipe from The Revel Bakery of Warwickshire is a shortened version of their focaccia (“we take a bit longer to make ours,” says the Revel’s head baker, Maurice Hartnett).

Ingredients
500g strong bread flour or Italian ’00’ flour
340g water (hand warm)
10g olive oil
5g salt
5g fresh yeast or 7g dried

“Add toppings of your choice,” says Maurice. “Try rosemary and sea salt, cured meats, olives… whatever takes your fancy. The difference between a focaccia and a pizza is the thickness of the dough.”

Equipment
A large bowl
Scales
A mixing tool (spoon, spatula or just your hands)
A tray pan – about A4 size is ideal

Method
1) Weigh out the flour into the bowl and add the salt. Put to one side.

2) Measure out the warm water (the colder it is, the longer your dough will take) and tip in the yeast. Mix. If using dried yeast, follow the instructions on the packet.

3) Now add the water and yeast to the flour. Mix. It will get sticky – that’s the nature of gluten – but keep going. When it has loosely come together, add the oil and keep working the dough. Work it for about 10 minutes until it’s nice and smooth.

4) Cover and set aside on the countertop for about an hour until well risen.

5) Take your tray and lightly lubricate with oil. Turn your dough out into the tray and walk the dough out with your fingertips to fill the tray. Try not to flatten it, just poke it and walk it out.

6) Let it rest and then stick on your topping ingredients. Poke them in – they need to be anchored to the dough.

7) Let it rest for 30 minutes.

8) Get your oven hot while the dough is resting – 225-235 degrees Celcius is ideal.

9) Just before putting it in the oven, spray or drizzle some olive oil and water over the dough.

10) Bake for about 20 minutes until baked to the colour that you like.

Photos: Jamie Gray