Garlic & Rosemary Focaccia

Submitted by thestudentthatcanco

"This is excellent to have as a simple starter or as an accompaniment. Or if you're my friend Matt, a meal... I found it in a copy of Delicious magazine and I tend to make this most in the summer, it's a great barbecue bread as it's great to share and easy to tear off hunks. Hope you enjoy!"

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Yields: 1 loaf
• Serves: 8-10

ingredients

• 500 g strong white bread flour, sifted
• 4.92 ml honey
• 7.39 ml dried yeast (not the fast action type)
• 275 ml warm water
• 59.16 ml olive oil
• 9.85 ml fine salt
• 1 small head of garlic (roughly 12 cloves)
• 250 ml milk
• 12 small fresh rosemary sprigs
• maldon sea salt (or other brand of coarse sea salt crystals)

directions

1. Put 2 tbsp of flour in a small bowl with the honey and 275ml of warm water. Whisk until mixed and then sprinkle in the yeast. Whisk again and leave for 10 minutes in a warm place until bubbles appear on the surface.
2. Put the rest of the flour in a bowl with the oil and fine salt. Pour in yeast mixture and mix to a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic before transferring to a clean, oiled bowl. Cover with cling film and leave for 1 hour in a warm place until the dough doubles in size.
3. Preheat the oven to Gas 7/220°C/430°F Lightly oil a deep 32x27cm baking tray. Knock back the dough by punching it with your fist. Rest for 5 minutes then put the dough in the baking tray, filling it evenly. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave for a further 30 minutes.
4. Peel the garlic cloves and place them with the milk in a pan over a medium heat. When simmering, reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving the garlic cloves.
5. Poke 12 holes in the dough and push a rosemary sprig and a garlic clove into each. Brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with the sea salt. Bake for 10 minutes then reduce the temperature to Gas 5/190°C/375°F Bake for a further 15 minutes until golden.
6. Transfer to a wire rack, drizzle with olive oil and cool slightly.
7. Serve with your choice of dip or meal.