Wood-Fired Focaccia

<p style=”text-align: justify;”>Crispy, salty crust with a fluffy centre, nothing is more rewarding than a freshly baked focaccia bread coming out of a wood-fired oven. The secret? Spray some water in the oven chamber to create some steam and puff the dough up.</p>

Preparation time

1hr 45 mins

Cooking time

25 mins

Serves

6 people

Ingredients

250g strong white bread flour
250g “tipo 00” flour
2 tsp fine sea salt
75ml extra virgin olive oil
7g active dry yeast
325ml warm water
For the topping:
15ml extra virgin olive oil, mixed with 15ml water
Semolina or polenta for dusting
1 tsp salt flakes
2 large sprigs of rosemary

Method

Combine the flours in a large mixing bowl with the salt. Mix well, make a hole in the middle and add the olive oil, plus water that has been previously mixed with the yeast. Stir together until you have a soft, but not too sticky dough.
Knead until soft and elastic; in a food mixer, on a medium-slow speed for about 7 minutes, or by hand on a lightly oiled work surface for 10-12 minutes. Put the dough on a lightly oiled baking tray and leave to rise in a warm place for 40 minutes until roughly doubled in size.
Pre-heat your wood-fired oven to 200°C.
Knock back the dough, and lightly dust the baking tray with semolina or polenta. Gently press the dough out with your fingers to fit the baking tray. Brush with olive oil and leave to rise again for about another 45 minutes, until doubled in size again.
Whisk together the remaining 15ml olive oil with 15ml water until emulsified. Poke some dimples into the surface of the focaccia with your fingertips. Pour the oil-and-water mixture on top and scatter with the salt flakes and rosemary leaves dipped in some oil, then place in the oven and squirt with the help of a spray a little water into the base of the oven.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden on top – keep an eye on it, you may need to cover it with tin foil. The focaccia is best eaten warm.

Wood-Fired Focaccia

Perfectionists in the Art of Wood-Fired Cooking.