Roast Potato & Rosemary Focaccia

Ingredients:

Makes 1 15 x 25cm focaccia,

(Good for 4-6 people)

400g Strong White Bread Flour

½ tbsp Fast Action Dry Yeast

1 tsp Table Salt

1 Garlic Clove (crushed)

1 tbsp Virgin Rapeseed Oil

260ml Warm Water (32-37c)

½ tbsp Fresh Rosemary (picked & chopped)

80-100g Roast Potatoes

A Pinch of Flaked Sea Salt

½ tsp Fresh Rosemary (picked & chopped)

Drizzle of Virgin Rapeseed Oil

Method:

Sift the flour, yeast and salt together into a large mixing bowl and add the ½ tbsp of chopped rosemary.

Add the garlic and rapeseed oil to the warm water. Make a well in the centre of the flour, add the water and start to bring the dough together working from the centre of the bowl. The dough should feel fairly tacky and loose (if it is too wet add a little more flour, if it is too tight add a splash more water).

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for around 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Put it into a clean bowl, brush over with a little oil and cover the bowl with cling film.

Leave the dough somewhere warm to prove for 1-1.5 hours (the dough should double in size).

While the dough proves hop the potatoes down into rough small cubes between 1-2cm²and line a roasting 15 x 25cm roasting tin with baking parchment. (you can use a larger tray, this will make your focaccia thinner and reduce the cooking time.

Once you have let the dough prove tip it from the bowl and knock it back, take this opportunity to add about ½ of the chopped potatoes. Be careful not to over work the dough at this point, you are just looking to knock the rise out of it and press it to the size of your roasting tin.

Lift the bread dough into the roasting tray, cover it with cling film and leave it to prove again for another 45-60 minutes (the dough should again double in size).

When the dough is risen, drizzle over some rapeseed oil, sprinkle with the salt, ½ tsp rosemary and remaining potatoes. Use your fingers to push the characteristic dimples in to the focaccia (this also helps incorporate the roast potato pieces).

After topping put the focaccia straight into the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden and light. When its cooked cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before enjoying.

Notes:

If you don’t have any leftover roasties you can always roast some new potatoes for around 30 minutes while your dough is on its first prove.

A good way to ensure you press the dough to the correct tin size is by doing it directly on the parchment that you have used to line the roasting tin.

This recipe is very versatile, its great to experiment with different additions. Try swapping some of the potatoes for olives or roasted fennel. Simply try adding a little fennel seed or a sprinkling of chilli flakes to the topping.