Basil and Olive Focaccia
The aromas in your kitchen when making this are unbelievable. If you’re trying to sell your house make this an hour before the potential buyers view it. A sale is guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 500 g strong white flour plus extra for dusting
- 10 g salt
- 100 mlolive oil
- 20 g yeast
- 300 ml water
- 125 g black olives pitted but left whole
- handful freshly chopped basil leaves
- salt water made with 30 g salt dissolved in 100 mlwarm water
Instructions
- Put the flour, salt, half the olive oil, the yeast and water into a large bowl and mix with your hand for 3 minutes until all the flour has been picked up.
- Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead well for 6 minutes.
- The dough should be quite sticky.
- Put the dough back in the bowl and leave at room temperature for 2 hours.
- Line a baking tray.
- Mix 100 g/31⁄2 oz of the olives and all the basil into the dough, then flatten the dough out onto the baking tray to about 2.
- 5 cm/1 inch thick.
- Brush the top of the dough with a little olive oil and make indentations in the top with your fingers.
- Leave to rise for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/gas mark 8.
- Brush the top of the dough with the salt water and drizzle with the remaining olive oil, then stud the remaining olives on top of the dough.
- Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack to cool a little.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Serve warm with an olive salad.