Wednesday 19 September 2012

Smoked Paprika and Rosemary Focaccia








Take a look at my breakfast, lunch and dinner. The photo above is pretty much what my day looked like. I was met with a slice of focaccia at every turn  Each time I went to make something to eat, I took a diversion and somehow ended up at the bread bin cutting another slice of it. Breakfast was going to be a bowl of toasted muesli, until I was standing next to the toaster, impatiently drumming the fingers of one hand on the counter, a butter knife in the other, waiting for the toasted focaccia to pop. Lunch was going to be a chicken salad, until I was halfway through a cheese filled slice before I noticed. Dinner was a going to be pasta until I was making crostini with it.

This is the start of my day, the end of my day and pretty much everything in between. If you're like me, a complete push-over for carbs, then hello... I love you.


Smoked Paprika and Rosemary Focaccia 
from Adrian Richardson's The Good Life

1 1/4 teaspoons dried yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons warm water
500g plain flour
300ml warm water
1/2 tablespoon salt
olive oil
1 tablespoon smoked paprika, plus a little more for sprinkling
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary, plus a little more for sprinkling
salt flakes

Whisk the yeast and warm water together in a small bowl and leave for about 10 minutes to activate.

Put the flour and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attachment. Add the yeast mixture and mix to combine on low speed. Once combined, increase the speed to medium-low and mix for about 5 minutes, until you have a smooth dough.

Sprinkle on the paprika and rosemary and mix again briefly to incorporate.

Brush a large baking tray with a little oil.

Turn the dough into a work surface and shape into an oval. Use a rolling pin to roll to out the a rectangle of around 25 x 40cm, then lift onto the tray.

Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

Use your fingertips to make indentations in neat, evenly spaced rows across the surface to the bread.

Brush the focaccia wit olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining paprika, rosemary and salt flakes.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. The base of the loaf should sounds hollow with you tap it.

Leave to cool on a wire rack.

6 comments:

  1. I don't blame you, this focaccia looks delicious. No one can resist freshly baked focaccia bread. I can imagine how heavenly it must have tasted with some butter on top. Yum!

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  2. Thanks Muna. Yes, lots and lots of buttered focaccia and I only have myself to blame! LOL.

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  3. God I love focaccia. Even more with smoked paprika that I put everywhere. This thing is life!!! Wow, sometimes my day is full of the same thing to eat. Sometimes it's cinnamon rolls, banana muffins, a plate of good pastas, potato soup...we'll I understand you :) You're not alone hihi :P

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  4. Heavenly! Carbs are good...Still trying to figure out posting here, since you have so many more pictures...maybe it will actually work this time! I've written you letters on your last couple of posts, but I can't ever get it to post...something about the URL?? I just hang my head in defeat, and go back to Flickr, lol! I've been trying to post some pics over there from my lunch over the weekend,just keep running out of free time.. By the way, I'm completely blaming it on you....my lunch, that is;)

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  5. Hey Gabrielle. Is smoked paprika a magical ingredient or what? Oh yeah, and there are days when I just eat cookie dough and cake batter LOL. Thank goodness I'm not alone.

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  6. Looks like you successfully posted something Leah. I'm not sure why you're having difficulties, but it looks like you've worked it out. Can't wait to check out your lunch, I'll happily take the blame :P

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