Australian Gourmet Traveller - (03)March 2020 (1)

Toppings to try

· Finelyslicedchatpotatoesandrosemary(about3 chat

potatoesandpickedleavesfrom2 rosemarysprigs).

· Sageorrosemary(leavesfrom2 bunchesofsage,

roughlytorn,orpickedleavesfrom5 rosemarysprigs).

· Choppedpotatoskins– theycrispupbeautifully.

· Halvedpeaches,plums,grapesorfigsanda sprinkling

offennelseeds– perfectservedwitha cheeseplatter.

· Pittedcherriesorblueberries,dustedwith3-4tbsp raw

sugar – a great dessert to serve with cream.

I

n recentyears,Australia(andtheworld)hasfallen

backinlovewithfocaccia.ThepillowyItalianflatbread

makestheperfectstarter,sideorsandwichbase,and

celebratesclassicItalianflavourcombinationsthrough

itslavishuseofoliveoilandtoppingssuchasrosemary,

olivesandtomatoes.Makingit is relativelysimple,but

imbuingthedoughwithlayersofoliveoilis imperative.

“Witheverytouchofthedoughyouwanttoadda little

bitofoliveoil,soyou’reessentiallyjustfeedingit,”says

DavidLovett,chefat EthelFoodStoreinBrunswickHeads,

NSW,anda self-confessedfocaccianerd.Addingtheoil

slowly ensures that the dough remains moist and light.

Step by step

Tip:

Youcanalso

kneadthe

doughbyhand

ona verylightly

flouredsurface,

workingit until

theflouris

incorporated

(about12-15

minutes).Also,

rememberthisis

a wetdough,so

becarefulnotto

addmoreflour

thantherecipe

callsforatthe

kneading stage.

1

Combine350mltepidwaterwith

10gmdriedyeastand10gmcaster

sugarinthebowlofanelectricmixer

fittedwitha doughhookandmix

tocombine.Add500gm(3⅓cups)

siftedplainflourand2 tspfinesea

salt,thenmix,scrapingdownsides

occasionallytoincorporateallthe

flour,untila stickydoughforms

(8-10minutes;seetip).

2

Tomakeonelargefocaccia,oil

a 15cmx 25cmx 3cm-deeptray

anddustwithsemolina.Scrape

doughintopreparedtraywitha

pastryscraperorrubberspatula.

3

Rub1 tbspoliveoiloverdough

ballandsetasidetoproveuntil

doubledinsize(20-30minutes;the

warmerandmorehumidthe room,

the quicker it will prove).

2

1

4

Stretchdoughtofillthetray

(it shouldbesoftandpillowy;

begentletokeepasmuchairin

thedoughaspossible).Usingboth

hands,liftdoughfromunderneath

andgentlypullandstretchit

lengthways,thensideways.If it

doesn’tquitereachtheedges,

that’sfine;asit provesthesecond

time,it willexpandfurther.

5

Tomakeindividualfocaccia,

aspicturedopposite,divide

doughinto85gmballsandplace

onpreparedtray.Useyourfingertips

topatinto1cm-thickrounds.Apply

a smallamountofoliveoiltocoat.

6

Preheatovento240°C.Drizzle

11/2tbspoliveoiloverdough

andleavetoprovefor10-15minutes.

Usingbothyourhands,makedeep

indentsinthedoughwithyour

fingertips(andmaybesomebig

air bubbles, too), then drizzle over

11/2tbspoil.Setasidetoprovefor

a further10-12minutes.

7

Add250gmhalvedcherry

tomatoesand2 tsprosemary

leaves,andpressintodough

slightly.Drizzleover11/2tbspolive

oilandsetasidetoproveuntil

doughis justpoppingoverthe

edgeoftrayandoilis aboutto

overflow.(If usinga traywith

differentdimensions,aimforthe

doughtobeabout3cmdeep.)

8

Seasongenerouslywith2-3

tspsaltflakes(fora savoury

focaccia).Bakeuntildeepgolden

andfocacciasoundshollowwhen

tappedonthebottomofthetray

(12-15minutes).Addonefinal

drizzleofoilassoonasfocaccia

comesoutoftheoven,then

restintrayfor5 minutes.Turn

outona wireracktocoolfor

20-30 minutes, then serve.●

6

GOURMET TRAVELLER 61

Masterclass

RECIPE DAVID LOVETT. WORDS JORDAN KRETCHMER. PHOTOGRAPHY WILL HORNER. STYLING JERRIE-JOY REDMAN-LLOYD. ALL PROPS STYLIST’S OWN.