UNIK at home : Tuscan Focaccia bread

 Tuscan Focaccia bread

We learnt to make this beautiful bread during a Summer holiday in Tuscany and it's surprisingly easy to make. One of our favourite ways to have it is with cream cheese, salmon and capers, or on its own with a nice dip like hummus or baba ganoush.

5 cups of flour

5 cups lukewarm water

I/2 cup dried herbs (or more if you want)

2 sachets (14g) of yeast

Olive oil 

Pitted olives

Fresh Thyme or Rosemary

Place the flour, yeast and dried herbs in a large bowl. Put a good amount of olive oil in the water and mix in with the flour. Let it mix for about 5 minutes if you're using a kitchen machine, or for about 20 minutes if done by hand. You wan't the dough to be quite loose and have a smooth consistency. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes pour the mixture into a greased pan or baking tray lined with baking paper. Make small holes with your fingers and put pitted olives and fresh rosemary or thyme into the pockets. Leave for another 30 minutes.Drizzle olive oil and some pink Himalayan salt all over. 

Bake in the oven for about 30 mins on 180°C fan forced. 

If the bread is a little too crunchy leave a wet tea towel over it for about 15 minutes as this will soften the bread.

Let it rest for 40 minutes and enjoy  

Buon appetito x