• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • about Dom in the Kitchen
  • contact me
  • pr & demo’s
  • Private Dining

Dom in the Kitchen Homepage

Recipes from my Lincolnshire kitchen

  • Home
  • Chicken Thighs
  • Bread
  • Cakes
  • Eggs
  • Vegetarian
  • Everything else

rosemary and vine tomato focaccia

1 February 2021 by Dominic Franks

focaccia bread

What with lockdown 3.0 dragging it’s feet I’ve been watching a lot of ‘food porn’ on instagram lately and one of the things I’ve been most intrigued with is this incredible focaccia from Clerkenwell Boy.  It’s just so bubbly and airy, almost like a sourdough and my rosemary and vine tomato focaccia is no exception. Plus his little videos are mesmerising.

I love focaccia and have made my fair share of it but to be honest my focaccia pales in comparison to this method. A mentioned above this method has a lot in common with a sourdough and I’m actually going to try making a regular loaf with this method too.  It’s all about the way you treat the dough whilst it’s proving – and it’s very ‘hands-on’ so don’t be afraid to get a little messy.  It’s a 3 day bread too so it’s not a fast food by any standards but boy is it worth the wait and as you see the bubbles form whilst it’s being squished it’s very exciting.

If you’re like me and you love squelching your hands into soft, silky, oily dough then this is the bread for you. It’s also wonderful because you can flavour it however you like.  I’ve gone with a classic rosemary, cheddar and caramelised onion focaccia but you really could put on any of your favourite toppings.

A quick note, I haven’t stuck slavishly to Clerkenwell Boys recipe, mainly because I was following photo’s rather than actually clicking on the link to his actual recipe, so I was guessing a few things based on my limited knowledge of bread-making but it seemed to turn out OK, so I’m sharing you my version here:

focaccia bread

focaccia bread

for the ‘poolie’

  • 30g strong white bread flour
  • 30g lukewarm water
  • 1/4 teaspoon fast action dried yeast in a tablespoon of warm water

for the focaccia

  • 500g strong white bread flour
  • 450ml lukewarm water
  • 1 teaspoon fast action dried yeast (the rest of the sachet of yeast if you’ve used one.)
  • 1 teaspoon salt diluted in a tablespoon water
  • plenty of olive oil

Day 1

Make the poolie by mixing a teeny dash of yeast with a tablespoon of warm water and let it bubble for a fw mins, then stir it into the flour and water in a jug. Place the jug somewhere warm over night.

Day 2

You’re essentially making a regular bread dough here but adding the poolie and mixing it all together.  Put the flour, water, yeast and olive oil into a bowl along with the poolie but NOT the salt. I used my smeg stand mixer but you can simply bring it together in a bowl and knead it in the bowl for 5 mins. Transfer it into an oiled sealable container such as a large tuppawear, pop the lid on and let it rest for 30 mins

After 30 minutes add the diluted salt and use your fingers to squish it into the dough.  Even after just 30 minutes the dough should already start to feel soft.  Massage the dough until the salt is absorbed.  Pop the lid back on and set aside for another 30 mins.

After 30 mins, drizzle over a dash of olive oil, enough to lubricate your fingers and then do a quick stretch and fold of thee dough. Then place the lid back on and set aside for an hour.  Repeat this process three more times over the day, then place the tub in the fridge overnight.

focaccia bread

Day 4

Take the dough out of the fridge and let it come up to room temp – roughly an hour, then transfer it to a well oiled roasting tin. I use a metal tin that measures 30cm x 20cm and is about 6cm deep.

Squish your fingers into the dough, which should be incredibly soft and silky. Air bubbles should start to form on the surface.  Do not pop these.  Set aside for 30 mins whilst you turn on your oven to 220C fan.

Decorate the top of the focaccia with your favourite herbs and foodie bits.  I’m going really classic here with vine tomatoes and rosemary but the world it your oyster.

focaccia bread

Bake for 35 – 45 mins or until the focaccia is puffed and gloriously golden.  Set aside to cool on a wire rack for at least 20 mins before tearing into it!

Eat and of course, enjoy!

Share this post:

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn Share on E-mail

Filed Under: Bread Tagged With: 3 day bread, bread, focaccia, loaf, olive oil, poolie, rosemary

Previous Post: « pea and potato soup in a crusty bread bowl
Next Post: upside-down rhubarb cake »
Related Posts with Thumbnails

Primary Sidebar

About Dom In The Kitchen

My name is Dominic, I am a cook, food writer and creative event producer. I write the food blog Dom In The Kitchen and also write a monthly recipe column for Lincolnshire Life Magazine and Good Taste Magazine. I also run creative event production company The Persuaders, producing global events for brands since 1997. I am based both in the small village of Belleau in Lincolnshire and the smaller village of London! Read More…

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe

Archives

Tweets by @DomInTheKitchen

as featured in Lincolnshire Life Magazine

Lincolnshire Life

creatively managed by

The Persuagers
Belleau Cottage

Footer

dominthekitchen

Tomato, Feta and Strawberry Salad with my Slightly Tomato, Feta and Strawberry Salad with my Slightly Pickled Pink Onions

I wanted to share the pics of this salad the moment I made it cos it’s just so vibrant and summery. 

The real star of the show are the amazing slightly pickled pink onions… but… (and I hate to be a tease) you’ll have to wait till next week for the recipe!

#salad #salads #tomatoes #feta #healthy #healthyfood #healthyeating #food #foodblogger #foodie #foodiesofinstagram #britainsbesthomecooks_
I love my garden for many reasons… #worldnakedg I love my garden for many reasons…

#worldnakedgardeningday2022 #garden #gardeninspiration #gardening #nakedgardeningday2022 #summer #muscles #gym
Apricot & Strawberry Frangipani Pudding (recipe be Apricot & Strawberry Frangipani Pudding (recipe below)

This pudding is like a bowlful of summer. It’s light and fruity and sweet and so easy to put together.  I think it’s also quite unexpected to serve a pudding when fresh fruit is in abundance and a simple fruit salad would suffice but that’s what I adore about this.  Plus, this pudding makes very good use of those punnet’s of strawberries that look great in the supermarket but in fact taste all spongy and gloopy when you get them home.

Here’s the #recipe:

🍓 200g butter
🍓 200g golden caster sugar
🍓 3 large free-range eggs
🍓 200g ground almonds
🍓 100g strawberries – quartered
🍓 4 apricots – sliced into wedges
🍓 the finely grated zest and juice of half a lemon
🍓 2 tablespoons @fage_uk Greek Yoghurt
🍓 1 teaspoon @little_pod Vanilla Bean Paste

I greased a 20cm fluted ceramic pie dish and pre-heated the oven to 160C

beat the sugar and butter together in a large bowl until light and creamy… a stand mixer will do this in 4 minutes, a hand held electric whisk will do it in 6 minutes and a wooden spoon will do it in 8 minutes.

add the eggs and 1 tablespoon of ground almonds and beat in, then add the rest of the ground almonds and gently beat in, followed by the Greek Yoghurt, lemon zest and juice, vanilla and half the strawberries and beat in – the strawberries will become mush – which is exactly what you want.

lay half the remaining fruit into the bottom of your dish and cover with the frangipane batter, then scatter the remaining fruit on top

bake for 45 mins or until darkly golden brown, then remove from the oven and let it cool to set

#pudding #summerfood #summer #strawberry #strawberries #apricot #frangipani #cake #cakesofinstagram #cakes #food #foodie #britainsbesthomecooks_
Potato Kugel Traybake with Poached Eggs and Mushro Potato Kugel Traybake with Poached Eggs and Mushrooms

Is there anything more ‘Sunday Brunch’ than a crispy rosti with a delicately fragile poached egg on top? This Traybake rosti is a twist on a Jewish potato cake made with potatoes, carrots and onion. It’s amazing and really does make the perfect brunch. 

What are you having for brunch today?

for the kugel:
🍳 5 medium potatoes
🍳 2 large onions
🍳 2 large carrots – roughly grated
🍳 2 eggs – beaten
🍳 2 tablespoons flour
🍳 salt and pepper
🍳 a large handful of fresh rosemary
🍳 2 tablespoons of olive oil

for the poached eggs:
🥚 2 eggs per person
🥚 water
🥚 salt
🥚 a ramekin or similar

pre-heat the oven to 180C and butter your baking tin… i’m using an oblong swiss roll tin but any metal pan will do, a quiche or tarte tin is good.  Earthenware will work too but there’s something about the metal tin that makes it more ‘roasty’

Cut the potatoes and carrots into large chunks and par-boil till just beginning to yeald, drain and place in the fridge for one hour.  I usually do mine the night before.

Once the potatoes and carrots are cold, grate them and add them with the rest if the ingredients to a large bowl and mix together well.

Tip into your cake tin or roasting tray and roast in the oven on 190C till golden and grisp around the edges, roughly 40 mins

To make the poached eggs I prefer to use my large shallow cast-iron casserole dish.  There’s something about the cast-iron that holds the heat and cooks them evenly.  Fill the pan with water and heat it till it’s rapidly boiling, then turn down the heat until it is just steaming. 

Once it’s steadily hot with no bubbles lower the eggs into the hot water and leave them alone at this exact heat.  They should take about 5 minutes to become perfect with soft yolks but feel free to go until you like them.

#rosti #breakfast #brunch #sunday #eggs #poachedeggs #food #foodie #foodiesofinstagram #breakfastideas #britainsbesthomecooks_
Asparagus, Caramelised Onion and Cheddar Tart Cel Asparagus, Caramelised Onion and Cheddar Tart

Celebrating the start of the British asparagus season with these gorgeous ruff puff pastry tarts. So simple to make but so absolutely divine. 

#recipe on the website - link in bio

#asparagus #britishasparagus #tart #pastry #vegetarian #vegetarianrecipes #lunch #spring #seasonal #britainsbesthomecooks_ @britainsbesthomecooks_
Mini Creme Egg Bundts These little chocolate cak Mini Creme Egg Bundts 

These little chocolate cakes of joy have now become an Easter tradition. They’re totally adorable and I’ve heard they’re also the ONLY thing @ginge_et_tonic will eat during the festivities. 🤪

Thank gawd for @cadburyuk 

#recipe on my site - link in bio

#chocolate #easter #eastereggs #cremeegg #bundtcake #cakedecorating #cake #cakesofinstagram #britainsbesthomecooks_ @britainsbesthomecooks_
Load More… Follow on Instagram

&copy 2010 - 2021 | All rights reserved | Website by Peckish Digital