Focaccia

Lindsey has been off taking baking courses.  She has learned how to make bread and donuts - and focaccia.

This is her first focaccia

I think Lindsey should be sending me samples instead of photos

And very tasty it looks too.



I was pottering around in the kitchen last evening and suddenly thought: "Bother!  No bread.  What to do about tomorrow's lunches?"  There was no bread in the freezer.  Too late to go to the shop. Absolutely not inclined to hop in the car at that time in the evening and go to the supermarket.  I thought of Lindsey's focaccia.  I had a quick look at a recipe and decided I didn't have time for all the kneading and rising and kneading and rising.  But there was no reason why I shouldn't make a variation.

So I took two teaspoons of dried yeast and dissolved them in a jug of milk warmed with a little boiling water (it was blood temperature after that).  I think it was probably about 500ml of liquid.  Then I whisked in enough bread flour to make a very loose dough.  More liquid than solid in that I don't think you could have rolled it out.  But much thicker than a batter.  I covered my mixing bowl with plastic wrap, sat it on the dresser in the dining room and wandered off until this morning.

This morning I poured the dough onto a small baking tray lined with baking parchment and dotted strips of ham and halved cherry tomatoes over the top.  Then I baked it at 180d for about 30 minutes.  Then I turned the oven off and scattered grated cheese over the top and left it in the oven for another ten minutes just to sit and think for a bit.

So that's lunch sorted.  I wonder if I'll be able to duplicate it the next time there's a bread famine at our place?

I hope it's as tasty as it looks!