by Sofia Gallo

Prep: 10 mins + proving time

Cook: 25 min

Difficulty: Easy

Serves 1 large focaccia

Ingredients

• 300 g strong white flour
• 200 g ‘00’ flour – if not available at your supermarket, pasta flour or fine flour will be perfect
• 365 ml water
• 7 g fast action yeast
• 10 g sugar
• 10 g salt
• 70 g blue cheese of your choice
• 4 figs, ripen but firm
• Black pepper freshly ground – optional
• Olive oil
• 2 sprigs of rosemary

Method

1. In a large bowl place your two flours, the yeast, sugar and mix well.
2. Create a well and start pouring the water in the middle. With a wooden spoon, start incorporating the flour.
3. Halfway through, sprinkle your salt and combine the remaining flour until the bowl is clean. The dough should be of a sticky consistency.
4. Cover with cling film and let it proof until double in size. Depending on the weather this can take up to three hours.
5. Once your dough has proven, prepare your Zyliss baking tray. Cover the tray in olive oil and place the dough. All you will have to do is create 4 folds, two per side, and replace the dough with the final fold at the bottom. Cover in cling film and let prove for another hour.
6. Pre-heat your over at Gas Mark 6/400°F/200C or 180°C fan. With your fingertips, gently stretch the dough until the corners of the tray. Help yourself using some more olive oil on your hands.
7. Once the focaccia is even and stretched to the corners, add olive oil on the surface and with the help of a pastry brush, brush all over the surface.
8. Place your figs cut into 8 wedges, scatter your blue cheese and your rosemary. Sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper and bake for about 25 minutes on the higher over shelf.

TIPS:

To prevent the rosemary from burning, keep it in water for a few minutes before adding it to your focaccia.

To get a nice crust, sprinkle some water over it just before baking.

You can replace the blue cheese with Parma ham.

You can add walnuts for extra flavour.

Simply prepare the day before and leave to rise overnight in the fridge.