Oliver’s Thyme Focaccia

Oliver’s bread making is legendary - recipients in the vineyard and restaurants rave about it and his chef teams perceive him as a hero for teaching them his skills. His secret lies in his love of the whole art of bread making, the reaction of the yeast, the heavy working of the dough with your hands, the glorious smell of the baking and the satisfaction of eating. 

Ingredients for 1 x Large Tray

400g Strong Bread Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
280ml warm Water
8g fresh Yeast
60ml Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, grated
1 teaspoon dried Chilli Flakes
2 sprigs Thyme, cut into small florets
1 teaspoon Coriander Seeds
Rock Salt

Method

Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix the yeast with 30ml of the warm water in a small bowl. Add the yeast to the flour and work together with your hands.

Continue to work the dough, add half the oil and then slowly add all the remaining warm water a little at a time. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and kneed by hand for 10 minutes.

The dough should feel smooth and elastic. Oil the baking tin and put the dough into it, roughly pushing it into the corners. Brush a little more of the oil over the top to stop a crust forming, leave to prove for 30 minutes.

Push your fingers into the dough, making small wells that the oil can gather in. Leave to prove for another hour.

Mix the remaining oil with the garlic and chilli, Brush this over the dough. Plant in small florets of thyme, scatter with coriander seeds and rock salt

Leave to prove again for 15 minutes then bake in a pre heated oven at 190°C for around 20 minutes. The bread will “jump” in the oven!. Turn out onto a rack and allow to cool.