We've got a group of friends coming over for supper on Saturday. It's a sort of christening of our new kitchen so we want to make it good. For once, I have a bit of time on my hands so I decide to see if I can remember how to make some Focaccia Bread Shots. In our old house, we used to host a pop up restaurant every now and again for the village. As we kept rare breed pigs, pork was usually the main course but these bread shots were always good for when people first arrive. I used to be able to knock them out pretty well but as I haven't done them for a while I feel a practise might be in order.
As it turns out, I made them too doughy and think they would be better in smaller balls. I also decide not to do them on Saturday - supper for ten is schlappy enough without adding bread shots to the mix. However, they are absolutely delicious, so I eat them all myself and keep only a couple for Mr M when he gets home from work....
Focaccia Bread Shots
Makes about 20 shots
7g fast action dried yeast
1 tsp sugar
160ml lukewarm water
250g strong white flour or bread flour
5g salt
25ml olive oil
good sprig of rosemary
1. Mix together the yeast, sugar and water in a jug and leave to froth for up to 10 mins in a warm place.
2. Mix together the flour, salt and olive oil in a bowl or in a food processor, then pour in the yeast mixture. Knead the dough in the bowl until it looks and feels elastic. As you may have realised by now, I'm dead lazy, so use my magimix to knead the dough. It takes about 5 mins with the machine and you should be able to stretch the dough out until you see daylight through it without it breaking. Once you can do that, it's done.
3. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to rise for 1 hour in a warm place.
4. Tip your risen dough gently onto a lightly floured surface, trying not to tear it. Place a scale next to you and work as quickly as you can cutting off pieces of dough of about 12g, checking by placing them on the scale. It really doesn't matter if they are slightly more but try not to make them any less.
5. Take each piece of dough and tuck the cut sides underneath to make a ball with a seam at the bottom. Place them into an oiled baking tray making sure there is a 2cm gap around each one for them to grow a little.
6. Press your choice of topping onto each ball, in the centre. I love olives or feta cheese, but use your imagination. Cover with cling film and leave to rise for a further 30 mins.
7. Uncover, sprinkle with finely chopped rosemary and sea salt and bake in the oven for 5 - 10 mins, until golden.
8. Best eaten while still warm - CAUTION - highly addictive - possibility of eating whole tray before anyone else has a look in.
As it turns out, I made them too doughy and think they would be better in smaller balls. I also decide not to do them on Saturday - supper for ten is schlappy enough without adding bread shots to the mix. However, they are absolutely delicious, so I eat them all myself and keep only a couple for Mr M when he gets home from work....
Focaccia Bread Shots
Makes about 20 shots
7g fast action dried yeast
1 tsp sugar
160ml lukewarm water
250g strong white flour or bread flour
5g salt
25ml olive oil
good sprig of rosemary
1. Mix together the yeast, sugar and water in a jug and leave to froth for up to 10 mins in a warm place.
2. Mix together the flour, salt and olive oil in a bowl or in a food processor, then pour in the yeast mixture. Knead the dough in the bowl until it looks and feels elastic. As you may have realised by now, I'm dead lazy, so use my magimix to knead the dough. It takes about 5 mins with the machine and you should be able to stretch the dough out until you see daylight through it without it breaking. Once you can do that, it's done.
3. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to rise for 1 hour in a warm place.
4. Tip your risen dough gently onto a lightly floured surface, trying not to tear it. Place a scale next to you and work as quickly as you can cutting off pieces of dough of about 12g, checking by placing them on the scale. It really doesn't matter if they are slightly more but try not to make them any less.
5. Take each piece of dough and tuck the cut sides underneath to make a ball with a seam at the bottom. Place them into an oiled baking tray making sure there is a 2cm gap around each one for them to grow a little.
6. Press your choice of topping onto each ball, in the centre. I love olives or feta cheese, but use your imagination. Cover with cling film and leave to rise for a further 30 mins.
7. Uncover, sprinkle with finely chopped rosemary and sea salt and bake in the oven for 5 - 10 mins, until golden.
8. Best eaten while still warm - CAUTION - highly addictive - possibility of eating whole tray before anyone else has a look in.
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| Bread shots before putting in the oven. These are too doughy in my opinion - the size given in the recipe should work better. Highly addictive! You've been warned! |
I can't believe we missed out on these on Saturday!
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