Month: Feb 2021

Okay, I admit it. Bread making gives me the fear of God. And I’m a dedicated atheist. It’s something about the enigma of yeast. Is it alive? Activated? What does that even mean?

The recipe from Gino’s Veg Italia (2015) at https://ginodacampo.com/ looked pretty straightforward. Few ingredients. Limited time huffing and puffing aboot. There was no mention of disturbing growths or exploding kitchens.

So with trepidation let the focaccia begin. Mix the ingredients. Done. Cover and leave for an hour. What on earth is going on underneath there?

Calm down, calm down. Just follow the recipe. Do a little bit more kneading to knock the air out. Cover with a tea towel. Wait forty minutes. WHOA! Paul Hollywood – greet your bloomin glacial blues eyes oot. This is looking good, pal.

So chuffed is Rooting Aboot with this positive introduction to bread making, here’s another lush photo using the same recipe. The world has suddenly become a bigger place.

This is all you need:

• 500g strong white flour
• 1 sachet (7g) fast action dried yeast
• 2 teaspoons table salt
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for greasing

Choose whatever topping you like – green or black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, sea salt, rosemary…

1. Sift the flour into a bowl and put the yeast at one side and salt on the other.
2. Make a well in the middle and pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into this.
3. Then slowly add 300ml of warm water (not boiling) and mix altogether with a wooden spoon handle.
4. Knead for ten minutes on a floured worktop (using the strong white flour when needed if it’s really sticky) until the dough is smooth and elastic.
5. Lightly oil your bowl with olive oil and place the dough back in it. Cover with tin foil or cling film and leave in a warm place to prove (rise) for one hour. Tip: Sit the bowl on top of your cooker with the oven on. Worked a treat.
6. After one hour, gently roll the dough onto a floured worktop and knead only three or four times more. Place on an oiled baking sheet (30 x 24cm) and stretch gently using fingertips until it reaches the sides. Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place for another 40 minutes.
7. Remove tea towel and prod your finger into the dough to make indentations. Plop some olives, sun-dried tomatoes etc into these dents. Brush with one tablespoon of olive oil and then sprinkle with sea salt or rosemary.
8. Bake in the centre of your oven at 200C / Gas Mark 6 for twenty minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire tray.