Anchovy & Olive Focaccia

I can be a bit of a bread-head but I do try to limit how often I have it. This recipe has less fat than regular recipes though and more protein. The anchovies and olives obviously add a lot of strong flavour so if its not your type of thing, then just limit the number of just use the rosemary.

You can use gluten-free flour too. Just follow the dough recipe on the packet rather than on here as it works differently.

Ingredients

• 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 3/4 cup brown bread flour
• 7g sachet of active dry yeast
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup warm water
• Olive oil
• 1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 oz. pitted black olives, halved
• 2 stalks of fresh rosemary
• 1 oz. anchovies, drained

Method

1. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside.
2. Combine the flours, yeast and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the oil and warm water. Mix everything together well by hand or with a dough hook, to give a smooth, soft dough ball. If using a machine, continue to knead for 5 minutes. Otherwise, put the ball onto a clean work surface sprinkled with a little flour and knead for about 10 minutes.
3. Place the kneaded dough on the baking sheet and roll it into a 10-inch circle. Using a pastry brush, spread some oil onto cling film and then place it over the dough, loose enough to allow the dough space to rise, but all enclosed so it is airtight. Leave the dough to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until it has almost doubled in volume. Preheat the oven to 200C.
4. Meanwhile, put a little oil into a large frying pan set over low to medium heat. Add the onion and gently saute for 15 minutes, stirring regularly until soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.
5. Once the dough has had its rising time, test to see if it has risen enough. Put some flour on your finger and prod the side of the dough to make a small indent. The dough should spring back halfway. Once the dough is ready, prod your fingers all over it to make those dents traditional to focaccia. Then stick an olive half and rosemary sprig in each hole. Spread the onions evenly all over, scatter with the remaining olives and lay the anchovies on top. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the dough is firm and sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
6. Once cooked, remove the focaccia from the oven. Leave until cool enough to handle before cutting into wedges or bite-sized squares. This can be served warm or cold.

Rebecca x

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