Garlic + Rosemary Focaccia
This is worth the wait, I promise!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic (or 5 if you are like me), crushed
1 tbsp thyme, chopped
1 tbsp rosemary, chopped
1 cup water, warm
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 tsp honey
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
pepper
Method:
In a pan, before you turn the heat/gas on, combine olive oil garlic, thyme, rosemary and a good crack of black pepper.
Place the pan on low heat and cook, stirring occasionally for 5-10-minutes, or until aromatic. Don’t allow the garlic too brown. Set aside.In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast and honey. Stir and let sit for at least 5 minutes.
Add 1 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of your infused oil to the bowl with the yeast and water. Stir 3-4 times until the flour has moistened. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Stir in remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour and the salt. Once the dough comes together, transfer to a floured board or bench and knead 10-15 times until smooth.
Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl, cover with a warm, damp towel and let it rise for 1 hour (a warm area of your kitchen is ideal).
After 1 hour, heat your oven to 220’C.
Use 2 tbsp of the infused oil to oil a baking sheet pan.
Transfer the dough to the baking pan and press down, evenly distributing dough. Use your fingers to dimple the top of the dough and drizzle the remaining infused oil over the top. Let the dough rise for 20-minutes, until fluffy and puffy.
Bake until golden brown, generally 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Enjoy as is or pair with a warm, cosy soup.