Focaccia with Basil Oil

I really hope you like focaccia... and bread in general. If not, then I really, really hope you like cake, because if you don't, I'm not sure there's much future in this relationship.

Focaccia with Basil Oil
adapted from Jamie Oliver's The Naked Chef

For the Dough:
15g fresh yeast
15g honey
320ml lukewarm water
250 baker's flour
250 semolina flour (or use 500g strong flour if you can't get semolina flour)
15g salt

For the Basil Oil:
A handful of basil leaves
1 small clove garlic, rough chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Squeeze lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper

To Sprinkle:
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Pamesan, finely grated
Dried chilli flakes

Make the Dough:
Dissolve the yeast and honey in the water. Set aside.

Put the flours and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the liquid mixture and mix for 10 minutes on low speed. It should be quite a wet, sticky dough.

Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk - about 1 1/2 hours.

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 1 minute. Shape the dough into a large oblong and put it on a lightly floured baking tray.

Make the Basil Oil:
Put all the ingredients into a blender and blitz.


Preheat the oven to 225 degrees C.

Make dimples in the top of the dough by pushing your finger tips into it all over the surface of the bread. Pour the basil oil over the top and smear it all over. The oil will fill the dimples and flavour the bread as it proves for the second time. Leave in a warm place to rise again for another 45 minutes.

Sprinkle the bread with pine nuts, chilli flakes and parmesan and bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden.