This generous flatbread is ideal for sharing, and a truly fine extra-virgin olive oil is what lifts it above the ordinary. I keep my prized bottle on a high cupboard shelf, where nobody can easily reach for it to fry eggs or use it for other jobs that don't do it justice. It only comes down for special baking projects such as this one.
Info
- Prep time: 30 minutes
- Baking: 30 minutes
- Overall: 2 hours
- Yield: 1 large flat loaf
Ingredients
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) white bread flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 sachet (7 g) active dry yeast
- 80 ml (3 fl oz) olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 150 to 250 ml (5 to 9 fl oz) warm water
- Vegetable oil or oil spray, for greasing
- 1 bunch fresh rosemary
- A large pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Flour a large, flat baking sheet.
- Combine the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and enough warm water to bring the mixture to a soft dough that isn't sticky. The dough should feel fairly loose, not tight or hard to work. Adding the full amount of water may make it seem beyond saving, but if you knead gently for a few minutes — scooping the dough up, scraping the sticky surface bits and slapping it back down — it will start to feel pillowy and easier to handle. The more water you can work in (the full 250 ml/9 fl oz is ideal), the lighter the finished bread will be, though it can take patience. Resist adding extra flour, which would weigh the dough down.
- Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes, or for 5 minutes with an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. When pulled, the dough should feel stretchy. To check whether it is ready, form it into a ball and press a shallow indent (no deeper than about 3/4 cm/1/4 in) into the side with a well-floured finger. If the indent springs back and disappears, the dough is ready to shape. If the indent stays, knead a few minutes longer.
- Shape the dough into an oval and set it on the prepared baking sheet.
- Press it out to roughly 30 cm (12 in) long and 20 cm (8 in) wide. Cover loosely but airtight with oiled plastic wrap. Heat the oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F).
- Leave the dough in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until it has nearly doubled in size. With a floured index finger, press holes at regular intervals across the dough, about 4 cm (1 1/2 in) apart and right down to the bottom. Insert rosemary sprigs about 3 cm (1 1/4 in) long into the holes. Scatter sea salt over the top and place the sheet in the upper third of the oven. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the bread has risen well, is light golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
- Take it out of the oven, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and leave to cool on the baking sheet. Served warm, it works beautifully as a starter or as a meal in itself alongside fresh tomatoes, artichokes and cold meats, or with a steaming bowl of soup.
