Olive & Rosemary Focaccia Bread

I love family occasions where you get to sit around, eat good food, drink a little wine and chat and catch up with the relatives that you see once or twice a year. 

This weekend, I spent the night in Galway with family in honour of my cousin's confirmation. There was a gathering afterwards with about 25 people so I offered to make some breads.

I decided that an olive and rosemary focaccia bread would be just the ticket. 

I love focaccia. Its olivey moistness and aftertaste. Now, it may come as a surprise that I love Olive oil, but I don't particularly like olives. I have tried to eat them, but I just find the really really intense. A little too intense. 

But I love focaccia bread with plates of antipasti with hummous, some meats, some olive oil and balsamic to dip it in. And some cheese. 

To make this focaccia bread you will need. 

310ml warm water, 7g/1 sachet dried yeast 

2tsp caster sugar, 3.5 tbsp olive oil,

450g plain flour, 2tsp sea salt flakes 

1.5 tbs fresh rosemary leaves & 20 kalamata olives (pitted) 

Combine the water, yeast and sugar and 2 tbs of the oil in a small bowl. Set aside in a warm draught free place for 5 mins or until frothy. 

Place the flour and half of the salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture. Use a wooden spoon and stir until combined, then use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl. 

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 mins until smooth and elastic. Brush a bowl with oil to grease. Place the dough in the bowl and cover in cling wrap and set in a warm place for 45 mins until doubled in size. 

Preheat your oven to 200C. Brush a swiss roll pan with 2 tsp of oil. Punch down the centre of the dough with your fist. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 mins until the dough is its original size. Press into the prepared tin and allow to prove for 20 mins( again until doubled in height) 

Use your finger to poke dimples in the dough and place the olives in. Brush with the remaining oil and sprinkle with the rosemary. I actually stuck the rosemary into the bread. 

Bake in the oven for about 25-30 mins, until golden. 

Remove from the oven and either serve warm, or at room temperature. 

We enjoyed it with a variety of amazing dishes, beef in Guinness, a tagine that was sweet and warm with a lingering taste of moreish-ness, a couscous dish, chickpea and mango salad and a really really delicious dhal. 

The best thing about the day was definitely seeing some family that I hadn't seen since before Christmas, and seeing those that I hadn't seen in a lot more time! 

Enjoy this bread with family or friends, some other nice food, some nice wine and most importantly, laughter! 

Orls xxx