Preparation time: 15 minutes + overnight proofing
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients:
- 450g high grade flour
- 1 sachet (8g) instant dried yeast
- 10g sea salt
- 2 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 50g pitted kalamata olives, drained and finely chopped
- 100ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions:
- Preparing the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Ensure the salt is away from the yeast. Add 410ml of cold water to the mixture and mix using your hands to form a wet dough. No need to knead. Stir in chilli flakes, basil, olives, and 50ml of olive oil until just combined. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and place it in the refrigerator. Allow it to rest for a minimum of 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Shaping and Second Proof: Once the dough has rested, generously coat a rectangular baking tin (around 33cm x 23cm in size) with olive oil. Gently deflate the dough by pulling its edges towards the center. Transfer the dough to the baking tin, ensuring the folded side is at the bottom. Gently press the dough into the tin’s corners, stretching it slightly to cover most of the tin’s base. Cover the tin with clingfilm and set it aside in a warm spot. Allow the dough to rise for approximately 2½ hours, or until it has doubled in size. In the meantime, combine the remaining 50ml of olive oil with the chopped garlic in a small bowl. Allow this mixture to infuse for 2 hours.
- Baking: Preheat your oven to 200°C with the fan setting on. Evenly drizzle the garlic-infused oil (including the garlic bits) over the risen dough. Create dimples all over the dough using your fingers, ensuring to reach the bottom of the tin so that the oil collects in these indentations. Sprinkle a generous amount of coarse sea salt over the dough. Place the tin in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. The focaccia should be golden brown and cooked all the way through.
- Serving: Once baked, remove the focaccia from the oven and drizzle some additional olive oil over it. Using a spatula, if necessary, carefully remove the bread from the tin. Serve the focaccia warm or let it come to room temperature before serving.
Enjoy your homemade Chilli, Basil & Olive Focaccia with your favorite dips or as a side to your main dishes!
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