Bacon, Pepper and Goat Cheese Focaccia

For freshly baked bread with an Italian influence, try this bacon-speckled focaccia topped with goat cheese and peppers.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 500  g  plain strong flour
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 30  g dried yeast
• 100  ml olive oil
• 300  ml water
• 120  g  bacon lardons, fried until crisp
• 150  g  mixed peppers, roughly chopped
• 120  g  goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Combine the flour, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre, and pour in 50ml of the olive oil along with the water. Mix together until it comes together in a smooth dough. Knead in the crisp bacon lardons.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead well for 5 minutes - at this stage, the dough should be quite sticky.
3. Return the dough to the bowl, cover loosley with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 2 hours, until doubled in size.
4. Lightly grease a baking tray and pat the dough out to an even thickness of 2.5cm. Brush the top with olive oil and make indentations in the top with your fingers. Leave to rise for a further hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 230C/gas 9. Brush the top of the dough once again with olive oil and spread with the mixed peppers.
6. Bake for 10 minutes, before covering with the goat cheese. Return to the oven for a further 15 minutes and bake until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.