Rosemary Focaccia

In the kitchen

Method.

1. Start with the dough. Attach the dough hook to your stand mixer and add both flours, the cold water and the yeast to the bowl (if using fast-action dried yeast, mix it into the flours first). Start on the lowest speed and let the liquid absorb.
2. Developing the gluten. Turn the speed up slightly and let the mixer do its work. The dough should pull completely away from the sides of the bowl and wrap around the hook, becoming smooth and elastic.
3. Salt and sugar. With the mixer still running, add the salt and sugar and let them work into the dough until fully incorporated.
4. The oil, a little at a time. Keep the speed on medium-low and drizzle in the 52 g of olive oil very slowly. Wait until each addition is completely absorbed before adding more. By the end, the dough should be smooth and glossy.
5. First proof and stretch-and-folds (2 hours). Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover it. Leave it at room temperature for 2 hours, giving it a set of stretch-and-folds at 30, 60 and 90 minutes. For the final 30 minutes, leave it to rest undisturbed.
6. Into the tray. Pour a generous layer of oil into a large baking tray and tip the dough into the centre. With well-oiled hands (no flour!), gently stretch it towards the edges. Tip: if it springs back, stop, cover it and wait 15–20 minutes; then finish stretching.
7. A second rest. Leave the dough to rise in the tray for 1–2 hours.
8. Dimples and topping. Press your oiled fingertips deep into the dough to make dimples all over the surface. Be generous with the extra virgin olive oil, then add the fresh rosemary and flaky sea salt.
9. Into the oven. Bake on the middle shelf of a fan oven preheated to 210 °C for about 15–20 minutes. Take a look after 15 minutes: if the top is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil or lower the temperature to 200 °C.
10. The finishing touch. As soon as the focaccia comes out of the oven, give it one last drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Let it cool slightly before slicing.