Focaccia

Focaccia is a lovely tear and share bread to be an accompliment to a main dish or as a dipping / starter bread.

Make the dough using the Basic White Loaf recipe up to stage 2.

After kneading the dough for the second time stretch the dough out onto a greased baking tray so that it touches the sides, then cover and leave it to rise for 30min.
Then poke the dough with your fingertips to make indents. Drizzle olive oil and scatter your chosen herbs / garlic / cheese on top. The indents collect the lovely flavours.
Bake in a preheated oven for 20-30min, 190'c (ish), until golden and cooked through.

Tear, share and enjoy :-)

Basic White Loaf

In a large bowl:
500g Strong White Flour
1 sachet of Yeast
2 tsp Salt
Mix these ingredients slightly

In a jug
300ml Warm Water
2 tsp Sugar
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Mix these ingredients slightly

Stage 1
Add the water mix to the flour mix. Either use your hands or combine with a spoon in the bowl.
On a lightly floured surface turn the dough out and start kneading. You need to understand the texture and feel of the dough as you knead it. If it feels too sticky add a bit more flour to the surface and carry on kneading, it will pick up the dough as you knead. You will be kneading for a good 10mins to get a good silky feeling dough. Put the dough back in the bowl and cover with cling film / tea towel. Leave to rise for 1.5/2hrs.
After the time has passed you should have double the size of dough as you started with. Take it out of the bowl and knead it again for 5 or so minutes to knock out the air bubbles.
Stage 2
Seperate into equal sized balls (for rolls) or long sausages (baguettes). Alternatively just leave as one big ball or put into a greased bread tin. If you are doing balls or sausages make sure there is enough room around them to rise and not stick together. Sprinkle with a touch of flour and cover again. Leave to rise for 30mins.
Preheat oven on the highest temp and when the loaf is ready put it in and then turn down to 200'c ish (depending on oven). Cook for 10-15 / 25-30 mins depending on size of loaves. Take out when browned on top and hollow when its bottom is tapped ;-)

I am very approximate when it comes to baking so when it comes to the cooking times - when its cooked I take it out (or forget and burn it, as I do every now and then!).

Soda Bread

Bread in 30 minutes

200g white flour
200g wholemeal flour
1tsp bicarb of soda
1tsp salt (I use less)
1/2 pint of milk
1 dessertspoon lemon juice

Mix dry ingredients, and make a well in the centre
Add lemon juice to milk, then pour into the well
Mix with a fork
Tip onto a floured board and knead for less than 20 seconds
Put onto a greased baking tray and shape into a round. Cut a cross in the centre
Oven (180 degC) for 25-30 minutes

Variations (I've not tried these yet)
1. Use all white flour and add a handful of raisins
2. Cut into 4 bits, then cook over a medium/low head in a lightly oiled pan for 15 mins each side

3 Minute Spelt Bread

The 3 Minute Spelt Bread was really quick to make, but came out very doughy with a very hard crust (this may be down to my own inexperience at making dough!) Despite my reservations about the texture, it went down really well with Lentil...

Old, New & MishMash recipes:

Today I have a poorly boy, so we'll be in most of the day. Which means more time for cooking!

Old recipe: Blueberry Muffins, I halved the amounts in this recipe to make 6 good sized muffins & I mash the fruit instead of slicing, it then 'bleeds' nicely into the muffin.

New recipe: 3 Minute Spelt Bread, the idea of a quick (lazy) loaf appeals greatly so we will have to see how this one comes out! I've used wholemeal spelt.

MishMash recipe: Carrot, Potato & Butternut Squash Soup, because that's all I have in the cupboard.