Red onion, Gruyere & Rosemary Foccacia

Red onion, Gruyere & Rosemary Foccacia

Ingredients

15g fresh yeast

500g flour

2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp olive oil

Topping

One red onion

1 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra

100g/4oz Gruyere

Few rosemary sprigs

Coarse sea salt

Black olive optional

Sundried tomatoes optional

Method

Tip the flour into a mixing bowl; add the yeast, salt and sugar

Boil the kettle and measure 100ml into a jug. Top up with cold water to the 300ml mark. Test the temperature with your finger- it should feel perfectly hand-hot. Measure in the olive oil

Make a will in the center of the fry ingredients and pour in the liquid in one go. Mix quickly using your hands to make soft and slightly sticky dough. Wipe dough around the bowl to pick up loose flour.

Sprinkle the work surface with flour and tip out the dough. Knead by stretching it away from you, then folding in half towards you and pushing away with the heel if your  hand. Give it a ¼ turn, developing a rhythm.

When the dough is smooth, put it back unto the mixing bowl, and cover with a tea towel and leave to rest for 1 hour (no need to find a warm place). It’s ready when it springs back when pressed with a finger.

1 thinly slice the onion and gently cook in the oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Cut the Gruyere into small cubes, chop half the rosemary.

2 tip the dough into a lightly floured surface and lightly knead in the onion and chopped rosemary.

3 using a sharp knife cut the dough in half. Roll or press out 1 piece of dough to a rectangular shape about 20 + 25cm, then transfer it to a baking sheet lined with non-stick paper. Make a large diagonal cut across the center of the dough almost to the ends. Make 3 smaller diagonal cuts either side of the large cut to make a leaf shape.

4 repeat with the other piece of dough. Stick Gruyere cubes, rosemary sprigs olives and the sundried tomatoes into the dough at intervals, then sprinkle with a little flour and sea salt. Heat oven to 240c/220c fan/ gas 8. Leave the loaves to prove for 20 minutes then bake for 13= 15 minutes until golden.