Rosemary Sea Salt and Olive Focaccia by Zara Janjua

This delicious summery bread is a welcome guest to any dinner party and will definitely be an impressive addition to the table. This fairly quick and easy bread is totally adaptable. Add different ingredients to go with your meal; garlic, sundried tomatoes, harissa, anything! 

Zara Janjua is a TV presenter and producer from Glasgow. She is a food blogger and social media influencer and has cooked on STV alongside some of Scotland’s best chefs for four years. Coming from an Asian family she enjoys fusing flavours from Pakistan with the Mediterranean and Middle East.

For more information head over to Zara’s newly launched website and blog: www.zarajanjua.com

Ingredients: Serves 8
400g strong white bread flour
100g fine ground semolina flour
½ tbsp sea salt, plus extra for topping
7g dried yeast sachet
½ tbsp golden caster sugar
300ml lukewarm water
Olive oil
60g mixed pitted olives
4 sprigs of rosemary

Method:
1.    Place the flour and ½ tablespoon of sea salt into a bowl. Mix the yeast and sugar in the lukewarm water and leave to the side until it begins to foam. Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the water mix in.
2.    Once the ingredients come together, knead vigorously for 5 minutes to create a smooth and soft dough.
3.    Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled bowl to prevent it sticking. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for around 30 minutes.
4.    Preheat the oven to 220°C and once the dough has doubled in size spread it onto a baking tray and, with your fingers, make rough dips and wells on top of the dough.
5.    Chop the olives and rosemary then mix in a bowl with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt before pouring on top. Push pieces of olive into the dips then leave to prove for another 20 minutes.
6.    Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown on top and light and airy in the middle.
7.    Serve as a side dish with pasta or salad or slice and serve warm with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and a glass of Pinot Grigio.

In association with Taste Communications, Scotland’s food and drink communications company www.tastecommunications.co.uk