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FRITTERS/BREADS

FOCACCIA

400 ml/1¾ cups warm water
7 g/2¼ teaspoon/1 packet active dry yeast
15 ml/1 tablespoon sugar
700 g/5 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading
10 ml/2 teaspoons garlic powder (optional)
10 ml/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus
125 ml/½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

  • Combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl and leave in a warm place until the yeast is foaming, at least 15 minutes.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, garlic powder (if using) and salt, then pour in the olive oil and the yeast mixture and mix on low speed.
  • Once the dough has come together, continue to knead for 10 minutes on a medium speed until it becomes smooth and soft. Remove the dough and shape into a ball.
  • Lightly oil the bowl and return the dough to the bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 1 hour.
  • Sprinkle the base of 2 18 x 28 cm/7 x 11 in shallow baking trays with polenta or semolina.
  • Knead the dough again for about 3 minutes then divide into two portions.  Flatten each portion onto a baking tray, pulling and stretching to fit into the trays.
  • Let rest for 10 minutes, then make dents in the dough with your fingertips, drizzle some olive oil over and sprinkle rough sea salt over.
  • Leave to prove for another hour.
  • Meanwhile preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top of the focaccia is golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and let it rest before serving it warm.

Variations: Sprinkle with rosemary or Parmesan cheese, olives or sundried tomatoes be fore putting in the oven.

STELLA's avatar

By STELLA

I have had no formal chef’s training. Classical piano was my parents’ choice, and that took care of the first 20 years of my life. Journalism and radio followed (my own choices, this time), and these opened many doors for me into different countries, people, cultures — and, of course, foods. In a six week series on radio I used it as a platform for my love of food and shared lots of interesting recipes and food news with listeners.
My earliest memories of food come from the family kitchen at home; I can still remember the wonderful smells of the dishes my mother prepared. I became aware of the flavors of her creations at an early age. Some I enjoyed and preferred, while others depressed me with their lack of interesting flavors. My mother was a good cook, but not a gourmet, and sadly this often showed. What I did appreciate was that she always involved me in the preparation, sharing her knowledge of nutrition, flavor, color, and the harmonies of each plate she dished up. She was also a genius with leftovers and quick meals when unexpected guests arrived. This is one of the things that stands out in my mind, and it inspired me to create wonderful dishes from leftover foods myself.

I carried on with the tradition of carefully planning meals to combine nutrition, color and flavor, while at the same time offering variety and elegant presentation. In the process, I developed a passion for seeking out the best available products, adhering to each season’s offerings, and treating it with the respect it deserves, which eventually became part of my daily culinary life and travels. I did these things not because I wanted to become a chef, but to satisfy myself, family and friends with creations of gorgeous food and exciting flavors. All of which, I hope, is reflected in this blog.

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