Golden, fluffy and wonderfully aromatic, this classic focaccia is made easy with the Mistral Supersmart Pro Kitchen Machine. The kneading function does the hard work for you, creating a soft, elastic dough with a beautifully chewy crumb. Just mix, prove, bake and enjoy.
Method
- Add the warm water, sugar and yeast to the bowl. Give it a quick stir with the spatula, then leave for 5 minutes until nice and foamy. That’s your sign the yeast is awake and ready to get to work.
- Add the flour, fine sea salt and olive oil to the bowl. Secure the lid and measuring cup.
- Select the Knead Dough automatic program (3 minutes, Speed 3, 0°C) and let your Mistral Kitchen Machine do the hard work. The dough should be smooth, elastic and starting to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a smooth ball. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and find it a cosy spot to rest for 1–1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Generously oil a 30 x 40cm baking tray. Transfer the proved dough to the tray and gently stretch it towards the edges — no need to wrestle with it. Drizzle over the olive oil, cover loosely and leave to prove for another 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced).
- Now for the good bit. Use your fingertips to press those signature focaccia dimples all over the dough. Scatter over the rosemary, gently pressing it into the surface, then finish with a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
- Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until beautifully golden and crisp on top.
- Straight from the oven, give your focaccia one final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Leave it to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing — tempting as it may be to dive straight in.
Then tear, share and enjoy.
Serving Suggestion
Enjoy warm on its own, serve alongside soups and salads, or use it as the base for gourmet sandwiches.
Pro Tip
For an extra flavour boost, add sliced olives, cherry tomatoes or caramelised onion before baking. The focaccia is also delicious served warm with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping.
