Cucina

Ingredients:

• tablespoon of dried yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon of barley malt syrup or honey
• 1-2/3 cup of wholemeal (wholewheat) flour +1 cup of 00 or plain flour
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• For the glaze : 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of water
• salt for sprinkling on top
• 1/2 cup of mixd pitted olives
• 1 chillie, sliced

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl dissolve yeast with 3/4 water, add flour, oil and barley malt syrup or honey. Mix for for a few minutes, then add the salt. If you think the dough is too dry, add the remaining water. Wholemeal flour can require a little extra moisture than regular flour.
2. Knead vigorously until it looks smooth and elastic, this will take about 10 minutes if doing by hand or 5 if enlisting the help of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.
3. Shape into a ball and rest for 20 minutes in a bowl, covered with a tea towel.
4. Stretch it with your hand to form a rectangle and fold into 3. This step will give strength and texture to your dough and is essential in order to obtain a soft, airy and chewy focaccia. Repeat one last time after 30 minutes.
5. Place the folded dough in an oiled oven tray, cover it with a tea-towel and let it prove for around 90 minutes or until it doubles in size.
6. Once the dough has risen, stretch it out to cover the tray and sprinkle the surface with seasalt.
7. Let it rest for another 30 minutes, then, using your fingertips, press the dough down onto the tray to create lots of little holes.
8. Drizzle the holes with the glaze and sprinkle with some more salt. Top with pitted olives and roughly sliced chillies.