Make Stable Door Head Chef Paul’s recipe for the perfect focaccia bread!

Versatile and so, so, delicious, Head Chef of The Stable Door Café Paul Plumbley shares his recipe for the perfect focaccia bread.

Nice and easy to make at home, eat it as bread or add some extra bits and you’ve got garlic bread, bruschetta, or a mouth-watering pizza!

Paul has developed this from a traditional focaccia recipe. Incredibly versatile, you can add some garlic and rosemary for the best EVER garlic bread, perfect for pasta soups and salads.

You can also slice it nice and thin and pop it back in the oven for five minutes, then top with chopped tomato and basil for the best bruschetta.

Or, roll the dough thin, top with a tomato and basil passata, mozzarella cheese – and now you have the best ever pizza – yum-mee!

We’d like to see your focaccia once you’ve made it – why not send us a photo of you enjoying it, to info@my-life.org.uk?

Here’s how to make two focaccia loaves:

Ingredients:

• 1kg bread flour
• 5g salt
• 16g sugar
• 5g fresh yeast
• 650ml water (warm)
• Olive oil
• Garlic and herbs (optional)

Please note, the allergen in this recipe is flour.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200c
2. Mix the warm water, yeast and sugar together and leave until this starts to foam
3. Sieve the flour and mix with the salt
4. Put the flour in a food mixer and using the dough hook start mixing on slow, slowly adding the water and yeast
5. Mix for 15 minutes until the dough is silky and smooth, alternatively, knead by hand for 20 minutes
6. Oil a bowl with olive oil and place dough in it
7. Rub the dough with a little olive oil, cover with cling film and let it prove (rest) till it doubles in size
8. Knock all the air out, mould into shape and let it prove (rest) again until it doubles
9. Bake for 25 minutes
10. Eat and enjoy!