What happened to the Rishi Sunak I knew at school?
Makes:An 8 inch square of focaccia (enough for 4 as a side, or 2 generous sandwiches)
Takes:2 hours
Bakes:25 minutes
250g strong white bread flour
7.5g easy action yeast
10g fine salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
200ml water
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse salt
3 sprigs of rosemary
Mix together the flour, yeast, salt water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and knead for ten minutes in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (if you’re doing it by hand, you’ll need to knead for nearer to fifteen minutes).
Turn the dough into a clean, lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm or a clean tea towel, and leave for an hour, or until doubled in size.
Knock the built-up air from the dough and stretch it out into a square cake tin or roasting dish approximately 20 x 20cm. Press the dough down with your fingertips, creating small divots and craters. Leave to prove for another hour, until the dough has puffed up.
While the dough is proving, preheat the oven to 200°C. Just before baking, press your fingers into the dough to create the classic focaccia dimples. Drizzle the 4 tablespoons of olive oil across the dough, and sprinkle with the salt and the sprigs of rosemary. Bake for 25 minutes until puffed and golden.
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