This is a very simple version of the classic Italian bread. Just don’t spare the olive oil!
500g strong bread flour
1 sachet 7g dried fast action yeast
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Maldon Sea salt
A few springs of rosemary (optional)
You can mix by hand, it takes about 15 minutes to knead, a stand food mixer makes.
light work of it.
Tip the flour, yeast, fine salt, and sugar into the mixing bowl, mix well, then add.
2 tablespoons of the oil and 400ml warm water, mix really well, 5 minutes in the
mixer, 15 minutes by hand, add a little extra flour if needed. Cover with a tea towel
and leave to prove for an hour until double in size. Oil a shallow tin 25×30 approx.
Tip the dough onto the tin and stretch to fill the tin. Cover with a tea towel and
leave to prove for 40mins. Heat the oven 200c gas mark 6,
Press your fingers into the dough to make dimples. Mix 2 tablespoons of the
oil with 1 tablespoon water and the Maldon salt, drizzle over the bread, Push sprigs of
rosemary into the dimples. Bake for 30 minutes. Drizzle over remaining oil while the
bread is still hot.
