A great recipe for bread-making beginners, focaccia is easily prepared ahead of time and can be baked just before serving. This version uses red grapes and rosemary for a fragrantly sweet-savoury topping that pairs well with Italian prosciutto.
500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
10g instant yeast
1 teaspoon fine salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt flakes
2-3 sprigs of rosemary
10-20 red grapes, washed
8-10 slices of Italian prosciutto
Directions
Add the flour into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast into one side of the flour, and the fine salt into the other side. Then mix everything together – this initial separation prevents the salt from killing the yeast.
Make a well in the middle of the flour and add 2 tbsp oil and 350-400ml lukewarm water, adding it gradually until you have a slightly sticky dough (you may not need all the water). Flour your countertop and tip the dough onto it, scraping around the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5 minutes until your dough is soft and less sticky. Be careful not to overwork the dough at this stage. Put the dough into a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove in a warm spot for an hour until doubled in size.
Drizzle a little olive oil into a shallow baking tin about 25 x 35cm in size. Tip the dough into the tin and stretch it to fill the base. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for another hour.
Heat the oven to 200°C on the fan setting. Press your fingertips into the dough to make dimples. Combine 20ml olive oil with 20ml water and a generous pinch of salt flakes and brush over the bread. Push the red grapes into the dimples in the dough and sprinkle over the rosemary leaves.
Bake the focaccia for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly golden. Whilst the focaccia is still hot, tear over the prosciutto and drizzle over a little extra olive oil. Slice the bread into squares and serve warm with extra olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar.
Artist : Alto Team
A great recipe for bread-making beginners, focaccia is easily prepared ahead of time and can be baked just before serving. This version uses red grapes and rosemary for a fragrantly sweet-savoury topping that pairs well with Italian prosciutto.