Bread Ahead says: “This beautiful Italian olive oil bread can be topped with an array of seasonal produce. It makes the perfect centrepiece to any family feast.”

Ingredients

500g strong white bread flour
10g salt
6g fresh yeast (or 3g instant/quick/fast-acting dried yeast)
400g cold water
80g olive oil for folding and topping
sea salt flakes and seasonal produce (i.e. cherry tomatoes, rosemary, olives etc) for topping

Method

Place the flour and salt in a bowl and combine.

In another bowl, add the yeast to the water, then mix until dissolved (if using instant/quick/fast-acting dried yeast, mix the yeast through the dry mixture instead).

Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the liquid. Bring the mixture together to form a loose dough.

Tip the dough onto your work surface, ensuring you scrape all of the dough out to leave a clean bowl.

With the heel of your hand, push the dough into the table and stretch and tear for 5 minutes, making sure you scrape your dough to the centre throughout the mix.

Pour ¾ of the oil into the bottom of your bowl and place the dough back in the bowl.

Spread the oil from the bowl over the top of the dough, then give your dough a fold. To do so, place your hands under one side of the dough, pull it up and stretch over to the other side. Do this from the bottom, the top and each of the two sides (this is considered a single fold). This will help to merge the oil with the dough.

Leave to rest for half an hour. Give your dough 3 more folds resting for 30minutes each time. After the final fold, move to the fridge and leave for 10 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 220°C/fan 230°C/gas mark 7 or as hot as your oven will go.

Gently slide your dough onto a lightly oiled tray, fold in half (like a giant Cornish pasty) and massage the rest of the oil into the surface of the dough making sure it is evenly covered.

Press your fingers into the top of the dough to spread out into the tray. Make sure you press the whole surface (this will give your focaccia its dimpled appearance).

Top with your desired toppings and leave your dough for 30 minutes. If you choose, you can now hold your focaccia for up to 6 hours in the fridge.

Sprinkle with salt, then place your tray in the oven and lightly spritz the oven chamber with a water spray.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Take out, glaze with olive oil, cool and serve.

From Bread Ahead’s Online Baking E-Book (£5, Bread Ahead), out now

Bread Ahead have extended their delivery and are now covering the majority of London. Find out more here

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