Posts Tagged With: vegetarian

The best mushrooms on toast!

Posted on August 22, 2013 by melhm

We received our first boxes of ‘live’ mushrooms last week and the children are already harvesting! What’s the best & easiest dish ever? Why, luxury mushrooms on toast!

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: mushrooms, garlic, thyme
Recipe source: Melissa
Recipe source: 6 at home or 24 tastes 

Equipment:

  • Paper towel
  • Non-stick frying pan
  • Knives – bread, small
  • Chopping board
  • Grill trays
  • Tongs
  • Oven mitts, spoons
  • Serving plates
 Ingredients:

  • A good few handfuls of mushrooms
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • A sprig or 3 of thyme
  • 25g butter
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Flaked salt
  • A loaf of great sourdough bread

 What to do:

  • Heat the grill on high.
  • Using a piece of paper towel, wipe the soil from the mushrooms. Never wash mushrooms!
  • Cut into fine slices, keeping a mushroom shape.
  • Peel and finely chop the garlic. Wash and spin-dry the thyme, leaving whole.
  • Heat the butter and tablespoon or two of olive oil in the non-stick pan until sizzling, and add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme stalks and a pinch or two of salt.
  • Toss or stir every minute or so for about 5-6 minutes. You want the mushrooms browned but lovely and soft.
  • Meanwhile, carefully slice the bread – you may find it easier to ask an adult to slice the loaf down the middle lengthways first, and cut each half separately – and place on grill trays.
  • Drizzle with a little olive oil and slide the bread into the oven to lightly grill, and turn over when needed – watching to make sure it doesn’t burn.
  • When ready bring the toast out from the grill using the oven mitts and divide among serving plates.
  • Spoon the garlicky, herby mushrooms over the bruschetta and grind over a little pepper if needed.
  • Eat at once!

 Notes: Why shouldn’t we wash mushrooms? How long do they take to mature? What do the mushrooms look like after one day – three days – five days? What else could you cook with a mushroom?

ourkitchengarden.net

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Soda bread

Posted on August 22, 2013 by melhm

We play around with lots of different types of dough and love them all. This one in particular is great with a chunky soup, or dipped into creamy hummus, or pungent pesto…

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: rosemary, parsley, sage
Recipe source: adapted from The Ballymaloe Bread Book by Tim Allen
Makes: 1 loaf

Equipment:

  • Bowls – large, small
  • Measures: jug, tablespoon, teaspoon
  • Mezzaluna
  • Chopping boards and knives
  • Sieve
  • Baking sheet
  • Serving plates
 Ingredients:

  • 450g plain flour
  • 1 level teaspoon salt
  • 1 level teaspoon bread soda (bicarb soda)
  • 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
  • 1 small handful each of sage and parsley
  • 400ml buttermilk

 What to do:

  • Heat up the oven to 230 degrees C.
  • Wash and spin dry the herbs and pick the leaves, discarding the stalks. Finely chop the leaves – you’ll need about 3 tablespoons’ worth.
  • Sieve the flour, salt and bread soda into a large, wide mixing bowl. Add the freshly chopped herbs to the dry ingredients and stir well.
  • Make a well in the centre. Pour most of the milk into the flour. Using one hand with the fingers open and stiff, mix in a full circle drawing in the flour from the sides of the bowl, adding more buttermilk if necessary. The dough should be softish, not too wet and sticky.
  • The trick with all soda breads is not to over-mix the dough. Mix the dough as quickly and as gently as possible, keeping it really light and airy. When the dough comes together, turn it out onto a well-floured work surface. Wash and dry your hands.
  • Gently roll the ball of dough around with floury hands for a few seconds, just enough to tidy up. Then pat it gently into a round, about 5 cm high.
  • Place the dough on a lightly floured baking sheet. With a sharp knife cut a deep cross in the middle of it, letting the cuts go over the sides of the bread. Then prick the four triangles with your knife: according to Irish folklore this will let the fairies out!
  • Put this into your preheated oven for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to 200 degrees C for a further 25 minutes, or until cooked. When the bread is cooked it will sound hollow when tapped.
  • Leave to cool for a few minutes, then cut into slices or chunks and divide among your serving plates.

 Notes:What is bread soda? Which country do you think this recipe comes from? What other ingredients could you add to this bread? Where do fairies live?

Categories: Kitchen Garden, Recipe | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Poached egg salad with limehairy mayonnaise

Posted on August 22, 2013 by melhm

What a great name! Limehairy is also known as hoary basil or perennial basil and has a delicious basilly aroma and pretty flowers – and bees love it too! This salad has simple ingredients but they come together so wonderfully, with a spicy kick from the leaves, creaminess from the eggs and vibrant herby notes…

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: iceberg lettuce, eggs, limehairy, landcress, salad burnet, lemon, garlic
Recipe source: Melissa (mayonnaise based on a Delia Smith recipe)
Serves: 4 or 24 tastes

ourkitchengarden.net

Equipment:

  • Medium frying pan
  • Bowls – large, 4 small
  • Draining spoon
  • Salad spinner
  • Paper towel
  • Scales
  • Measures: tablespoon, teaspoon, ½ teaspoon
  • Measuring jug
  • Chopping board and knife, scissors
  • Citrus juicer
  • Stick blender & its cup
  • Serving plates

 

 

 

 Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs

For the limehairy mayonnaise:

  • A small handful of limehairy leaves
  • A large handful landcress
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 small clove garlic
  • 1 level teaspoon mustard powder
  • 120ml rice bran oil
  • 25ml olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 lemon
  • Freshly milled black pepper

To serve:

  • A small head iceberg lettuce
  • A handful salad burnet
ourkitchengarden.net

Salad burnet

What to do:
For the salad:

  • Separate out the iceberg leaves over the sink and rinse under the tap. Fill up a big bowl with cold water & wash the iceberg leaves in several changes of water. Spin dry.
  • Lay out the tea towel and line it with kitchen paper. Spread the salad leaves over the paper and roll the whole lot up like a log. Keep the rolled parcel of leaves in the fridge until needed.
  • Wash and spin dry the burnet and strip off the leaves, discarding the stalks. Wrap them carefully in paper towel and keep them in the fridge with the lettuce.

For the mayonnaise:

  • Wash, spin dry and separate off the landcress leaves and discard the stalks into the compost.  Wash &spin dry the limehairy leaves.
  • Cut the lemon in half and squeeze one half to yield ½ teaspoon lemon juice. Peel the garlic clove.
  • Now break the extra egg into the cup of the stock blender, add the salt, garlic, mustard powder and a few twists of freshly milled black pepper, then blitz to blend these together.
  • Now measure the oils into the jug, mix well with a fork and ask a helper to pour it in a thin trickle into the cup whilst it’s blending. When all the oil is in, add the vinegar, lemon juice, landcress and limehairy leaves, then blend again until the leaves are quite finely chopped.

To poach the eggs:

  • Fill a medium-sized frying pan with water to a depth of approximately 4cm, heat it up to the boil, then lower the heat it to a bare simmer.
  • Then break the 4 eggs into the four separate small bowls taking care not to break the yolks and removing any shell with your fingertips. Then lower them, one at a time, into the simmering water and let them cook together, uncovered, for 4 minutes. Fill a large bowl with cold water.
  • Then, use a draining spoon to lift them from the water and transfer them to the bowl of cold water, until you are ready to use them.

To serve:

  • Bring the lettuce out of the fridge, gently slice up the leaves and arrange the leaves on each plate.
  • Holding a clean tea towel in one hand, scoop up an egg with the slotted spoon and carefully pat dry. Arrange a poached egg in the centre of each salad plate, drizzle some of the mayonnaise over the top of each salad, followed by a sprinkle of the burnet leaves.
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Stephanie’s preserved lemons

Posted on August 22, 2013 by melhm

We have been quite successful in our preserving efforts at Bondi – olives from our trees, bouillon from our veggies, chilli oil to dress fresh pasta, and the odd jam here and there… I’m looking forward to seeing how the lemons turn out with Stephanie Alexander‘s recipe – and what we can make with them!

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: lemons, bay leaves
Recipe source: Stephanie Alexander
Makes: 1 large jar

Equipment:

  • Large jars with lids
  • Paper towel
  • Chopping boards and knives
  • Measures: tablespoon
  • Large bowl

 

 

 Ingredients:

  • 250g coarse kitchen salt
  • 10 or more thick-skinned lemons (depends on the size of the jar)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 cloves
  • 2 sticks of cinnamon
  • 10 peppercorns
  • Extra lemons for juice

What to do:

  • First, sterilise your jars. You can do this by washing the jars in soap and hot water, and then or placing in a 150C oven for 10 minutes until dried thoroughly. Fill the jars while warm.
  • Wash and then dry the lids with a clean piece of paper towel.
  • Scrub the lemons clean, wipe dry with paper towel, then chop into quarters, removing any pips. Discard any lemons with imperfections.
  • Scatter a large tablespoon of salt into your sterilised jar.
  • Place the lemons into a large bowl and cover with remaining salt.
  • Tear the bay leaves into pieces and break the cinnamon sticks into shards.
  • Pack the lemons tightly into the jar, skin side out, inserting pieces of bay leaf, pepper, cloves and cinnamon at intervals.
  • Press down hard on the fruit so that as much juice is released as possible.
  • Make sure that the lemons are completely covered in juice, otherwise mould will develop. If required, squeeze extra juice into the jar to cover the lemons.
  • With a fresh clean piece of paper towel, wipe the cap of the jar free of salt. Tightly close the lid.
  • Leave in a cool, dark cupboard for at least a month before using. Refrigerate the lemons once you have opened the jar.

 Notes: What is a preserve? Why do the lemons have to be completely covered? What could we use the preserved lemons for afterwards?

Categories: Kitchen Garden, Recipe | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Two cheeses souffle

Posted on August 21, 2013 by melhm

Cheesy, eggy – comfort food in its most simple form… and deceptively simple to do!

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: eggs, chives
Recipe source: adapted from a recipe on bbcgoodfood.com
Serves: 4 or 24 tastes

ourkitchengarden.net

Equipment:

  • 4 x 250ml ramekins or soufflé dishes
  • Baking paper
  • String & scissors
  • Baking tray
  • Scales
  • Paper towel
  • Bowls – 1 large, 5 small
  • Saucepan
  • Wooden spoon
  • Measuring jug
  • Stick blender
  • Metal spoon
  • 4 under-plates to serve
 Ingredients:

  • 25g butter plus extra to grease the ramekins
  • 150g soft goats’ cheese
  • 100g parmesan
  • A small handful chives
  • 5 eggs
  • 25g flour
  • 250ml milk
  • Flaked salt & black pepper

 What to do:

  • Heat the oven to 200C. Butter the ramekins.
  • Make a collar for each ramekin by tearing a 40cm length of baking paper, folding it into thirds, and buttering one side. Then roll it around the ramekin, buttered side in, and tying with string to secure. Place them on the baking tray when done.
  • Measure the parmesan, then grate it. Crumble the goats’ cheese.
  • Wash the chives and pat dry with paper towel. Using the scissors, finely snip them to yield about 2 tablespoons.
  • Carefully separate each of the eggs.
  • Melt 25g butter in the saucepan, stir in the flour and gently cook on a low heat for a minute or so. Slowly add the milk, stirring all the time to make a thick sauce. Cook for a couple of minutes to cook out the flour.
  • Stir in the cheeses and chives then add 4 of the egg yolks, season generously and mix well.
  • In a clean and dry bowl, use the stick blender to whisk all the egg whites until they are stiff and form soft peaks.
  • Using a metal spoon, start folding the egg whites into the cheese mixture carefully – begin by using about 1/3 of the whites first and then adding the rest once combined – and pour into the buttered soufflé dishes.
  • Cook for 12–15 minutes until the soufflés are risen and golden.
  • Using pot holders, carefully place a soufflé on to an underplate and serve TOUT SUITE!

 Notes: What is a ramekin? Why do we separate the egg yolks and whites? Why do we need to cook out the flour? Where does the word soufflé come from?

ourkitchengarden.net

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Cannellini bean, kale and rainbow chard soup

Posted on August 21, 2013 by melhm

Our kids love soup – blended and smooth or chunky and funky – and this one makes the most of our winter garden veg. At home please add some toasted buttery sourdough rubbed with garlic!

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: celery, carrots, onion, garlic, potatoes, kale, rainbow chard
Recipe source: Melissa
Serves: 8 or 24 tastes

ourkitchengarden.net

Equipment:

  • Bowls – glass, large, small
  • Kettle
  • Measures: cup, tablespoon
  • Colander, sieve
  • 2 saucepans, med and large
  • Chopping boards and knives
  • Peelers & garlic press
  • Wooden spoon
  • Ladle
  • Serving bowls

 

 

 Ingredients:

  • 150g dried cannellini beans
  • 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 brown onion
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1.5 litres boiling water & 1.5 tablespoons bouillon (or 1.5 litres vegetable stock)
  • 2 Desiree or other red potatoes
  • One large bunch kale
  • A couple of stalks of rainbow chard
  • Flaked salt and black pepper

What to do:

  • The night before, soak the cannellini beans in plenty of cold water with a teaspoon of bicarb.
  • At the beginning of the lesson, drain and rinse the beans. Add them to the smaller saucepan with plenty of water to cover and the bay leaves. Peel 2 of the garlic cloves and add them whole to the pan. Heat on high to boil and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring every now and then.
  • Fill the kettle and set it to boil.
  • Wash and shake the celery dry and chop into small pieces. Wash and peel the carrots and chop into small pieces.
  • Wash and chop the potatoes into 2cm cubes, leaving the skin on.
  • Peel and finely dice the onion. Peel and squeeze the remaining 3 cloves of garlic through the press.
  • Wash the kale and chard in several changes of water, and then shake dry. Trim the stalks from the kale and discard. Trim the stalks from the chard and chop into 5mm pieces, keeping separate. Roll up the kale and chard leaves and slice or tear into 1cm strips.
  • In the larger saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil until shimmering.
  • Add the celery, carrots, and onion, and cook, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for another minute or so, and then add the potatoes and stir to coat.
  • Using caution, measure the litre of boiling water into the jug and stir the bouillon in. Add to the vegetables and simmer for about 15 minutes.
  • Strain the beans & garlic and add to the vegetables with the kale and chard stalks and simmer for another 10 minutes, then add the chopped chard and cook for another 5 minutes.
  • Check for correct seasoning, then ladle out into serving bowls.
  • ourkitchengarden.net
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Warm salad of Nolans Road chickpeas, kale and Greek yoghurt

Posted on July 31, 2013 by melhm

We love our Nolans Road organic Kabuli chickpeas – they’re so fresh they only need about half the cooking time of normal chickpeas – and so worthwhile doing from scratch! Dee Nolan suggests soaking and cooking heaps more than you need, then freezing the rest for another time as they’re easily resurrected!

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: kale, carrots, garlic, mint, coriander, lemon
Recipe source: inspired by the recipes of Yotam Ottolenghi

Equipment:

  • Bowls – glass, large, small
  • Saucepans – med, large & heavy
  • Sieve & colander
  • Chopping board & knife
  • Salad spinner
  • Peeler
  • Garlic press
  • Measures – ½ cup, 1/3 cup, tablespoon, teaspoon
  • Scales
  • Mezzaluna
  • Citrus juicer
  • Serving bowls
 Ingredients:

  • 200g dried chickpeas
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • A large handful kale leaves
  • 1/3 cup olive oil, plus extra to finish
  • 3 medium carrots
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • 1 garlic clove
  • A small handful mint
  • A small handful coriander
  • 1 lemon
  • Cooking salt, flaked salt and black pepper
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

What to do:

  • Soak the chickpeas overnight in plenty of cold water with a teaspoon of bicarb.*
  • Next day, drain, rinse and simmer them in a big saucepan or about 25 minutes in fresh ­water until tender, then drain.
  • Meanwhile, half-fill the smaller saucepan with water and a teaspoon of salt and set it to boil.
  • Strip the kale leaves from the stalks, discarding the stalks. Roll the leaves up and cut into fine ribbons, then blanch them in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain then refresh under cold running water and squeeze dry.
  • Meanwhile peel then chop the carrots into small dice.
  • Wash and spin the mint (picking the mint leaves) and coriander, then finely chop.
  • Cut the lemon in two and squeeze one half. Peel then crush the garlic clove.
  • Heat up the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the carrots and caraway seeds and sauté for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the kale, the drained chickpeas and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
  • Now add the garlic, herbs, a tablespoon of lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  • To serve, mix together the yogurt with a tablespoon of olive oil and another sprinkle of flaked salt and pepper. Pile the vegetables on serving dishes and spoon the yogurt on top. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and serve.

 Notes: Why do we soak the chickpeas overnight? What are other names for chickpeas?

*If you forget to soak the chickpeas the night before (as I have done in the cottage on more than one occasion (!) then boil the chickpeas for an hour and then leave them to soak in that same liquid for another hour. Drain, rinse, and then cook as above…

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Broccoli and lemon risotto

Posted on July 31, 2013 by melhm

This lovely risotto is textural and beautifully herby, and very easy once you get past all the stirring!

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: broccoli, marjoram, garlic, onion, lemon
Recipe source: Melissa
Serves: 8 or 30 tastes

Equipment:

  • Saucepan
  • Salad spinner
  • Garlic press
  • Bowls – 1 large, small, med
  • Large knife & chopping board
  • Grater & microplane zester
  • Ladle & wooden spoon with a flat end
  • Heavy based stockpot
  • Metric
  • Measures: scales, jug, cup, ¼ cup, tablespoon
  • 4 soup plates to serve
 Ingredients:

  • 2.3 litres  vegetable stock (or  2.3 litres boiling water with 2.5 tablespoons bouillon)
  • A small handful marjoram
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 brown onion
  • 1 large head of broccoli
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 20g butter
  • 500g arborio rice
  • 1 lemon
  • 50g parmesan
  • Cooking salt & black pepper

What to do:

  • Pour the stock into a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer on medium heat.
  • Wash and spin dry the marjoram, strip and discard the stems.
  • Squeeze the garlic cloves through the press into a small bowl. Peel and finely chop the onion.
  • Wash the broccoli & shake dry. Chop the stalk into 5mm cubes and add to the stock, reserving the florets.
  • Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in the stockpot. Add the chopped onion and a cook gently until just tender, about three minutes. Do not brown. Add the garlic and cook gently for another few seconds.
  • Stir in the rice until the grains separate and begin to crackle.
  • Begin adding the simmering stock, a ladle at a time, and stir in. The stock should just cover the rice and bubble. Stir every minute or so for about 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, zest the lemon and grate the parmesan to yield about ½ cup.
  • After about 15 minutes, add the broccoli florets to the rice and keep stirring for about another 5 minutes. When the rice is just tender all the way through but still slightly firm, usually in about 20 minutes, it is done.
  • Add the last ladleful of stock and the rest of the broccoli to the rice. Stir in the marjoram, lemon zest and parmesan, and remove from the heat. Taste now and check the seasoning. The mixture should be creamy.
  • Serve onto the soup plates and eat right away!

Notes: What sort of rice is Arborio? Why do we use this sort of rice? Why do we fry the rice off first? What does ‘yield’ mean? What does to check the seasoning mean?

Categories: Kitchen Garden, Recipe | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Veggie patch fritatta

Posted on July 31, 2013 by melhm

This is such a lovely fresh recipe. Add a beautifully tossed salad & some great bread and you have all the makings of a wonderful and simple lunch or supper. We’ve used what we had in the garden: radishes and snowpeas – so use what YOU have!

ourkitchengarden.net

Fresh from the garden: eggs, onion, radishes, snowpeas, parsley, rocket
Recipe source: Melissa
Serves: 4 at home or 24 tastes 

Equipment:

  • Chopping board & knife
  • Salad spinner
  • Tea towel
  • Measures: tablespoon
  • Medium ovenproof frying pan
  • Large bowl
  • Whisk
  • Oven mitts
  • 4 serving plates
 Ingredients:

  • An onion
  • A small handful radishes
  • A small handful snowpeas
  • A small handful parsley
  • A tablespoon of butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 12 large eggs
  • Flaked salt and pepper
  • A small handful rocket for garnish

What to do:

  • Preheat the oven with grill element on to 180C.
  • Peel and finely chop the onion. Trim the radishes, wash well and then carefully slice into thin discs.
  • Top, tail and de-string the snowpeas and chop into 4 or 5 pieces. Wash and spin-dry parsley and chop finely.
  • Wash and spin-dry the rocket and roll up in a clean tea towel, reserving in the fridge until needed.
  • Heat the butter and olive oil in the frying pan, and when melted, add the onion and cook on a medium heat until translucent. Then add the radish slices and cook for about 5 minutes until golden. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaked salt and add the snowpeas, tossing to combine.
  • Meanwhile, crack the eggs into the large bowl – making sure there is no shell – and beat them together with a pinch of salt and grind of pepper. Stir in the parsley.
  • When the butter has melted, carefully pour the eggs into the frying pan and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook, undisturbed, for about 5 minutes or until the bottom of the frittata is firm, checking by gently lifting up the frittata up at the side of the pan.
  • Transfer the frying pan to the oven. Bake, checking every couple of minutes or so, just until the top of the frittata is no longer runny. This should take about 5 to 7 minutes more.
  • Carefully remove from the oven with oven mitts – remembering that the handle will be HOT! – and let rest for a few minutes.
  • Then, still holding the handle with the oven mitt place a clean medium chopping board over the frying pan and turn the whole lot upside down so that the frittata falls gently onto the board.
  • Divide the rocket onto the serving plates with a little drizzle of olive oil, cut the frittata into wedges or cubes, and transfer onto the rocket. Serve and eat!
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Rosemary and olive focaccia

Posted on July 31, 2013 by melhm

We love preparing dough at Bondi, and this soft focaccia studded with olives and rosemary is fantastic as part of an antipasto plate or with a hearty soup. We used Our Bondi Olives that were picked in February then brined over the course of two months, marinated (olive oil, orange peel, garlic, fennel seed, bay, thyme) and bottled in May, then cupboard-aged for another 2 months… we also used a combination of fresh rosemary, picked from the stalk, with rosemary spines dried over the last 6 months. A variation:  adding halved cherry tomatoes or preserved artichokes or whatever you feel like!

ourkitchengarden.net

From the garden: olives, rosemary
Recipe source: adapted from a recipe on taste.com
Serves: 8 at home or 24 tastes

Equipment:

  • Bowls – small, med
  • Measures – jug, teaspoon, tablespoon
  • Scales
  • Stand mixer & dough hook
  • Pastry brush
  • 20 x 30cm Swiss roll pan
  • Clean tea towel
  • Chopping board
  • Serving plates
 Ingredients:

  • 310ml warm water
  • 2 teaspoons dried yeast
  • 2 teaspoons caster sugar
  • 3½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 450g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt flakes
  • 1 large sprig of rosemary
  • A jar of our marinated Bondi PS olives

What to do:

To make the dough:

  • Combine the water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for about 5 minutes until frothy & bubbling. Then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  • Place flour and half of the flaked salt in the bowl of the mixer. Make a well in the centre and pour in yeast mixture. On the lowest setting, mix for 10 minutes.
  • Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for another minute or so until smooth and elastic. Brush a medium bowl with a little olive oil to grease. Place dough in bowl and cover with a clean tea towel. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for about an hour until doubled in size.

 Start of lesson:

  • Preheat oven to 200°C.
  • Brush the pan with 2 teaspoons of remaining oil. Punch down the centre of the dough with your fist. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes or until dough is elastic and has returned to original size. Press into the prepared pan. Cover with the clean tea towel and set aside in a warm, draught-free place to prove for 20 minutes or until doubled in height.
  • Meanwhile wash & carefully dry the rosemary and pick the leaves from the stalks. Pit the olives.
  • Use your finger to press dimples into the dough. Brush with remaining oil and sprinkle over the rosemary and remaining salt. Press the olives into the dough.
  • Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden and the focaccia sounds hollow when tapped on base. Serve warm or at room temperature, carved into thin slices.
  • While the focaccia is cooking you can make the dough for the next class before cleaning up!

Notes: Why do we wait for the yeast mixture first? What is process of doubling the dough in size called?

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